PMNRF funds diverted money to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation during Congress regime: BJP's Nadda

Attacking the Congress party on Friday, BJP Chief JP Nadda alleged that Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) was donating money to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation during the UPA years. He said that to divert this public money into a family-run foundation is not only a "brazen fraud" but also a "big betrayal" of the people of India.

'Who chairs RGF? Smt. Sonia Gandhi'

Taking to Twitter, the BJP national President shared details of 'Partner Organisation and Donors Year 2005-2006' and 'Partner Organisation and Donors Year 2007-2008', which shows that PMNRF donated funds to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF).

He said that Sonia Gandhi, who chaired Rajvi Gandhi Foundation was completely reprehensible, disregarding ethics, processes and not bothering about transparency.

'A big betrayal of the people of India'

In another tweet, Nadda said, "People of India donated their hard-earned money to PMNRF to help their fellow citizens in need. To divert this public money into a family-run foundation is not only a brazen fraud but also a big betrayal of the people of India." He further said that one family's hunger for wealth has cost the nation immensely and asked the opposition party to apologise to the unchecked loot for self-gain.

Addressing the BJP's Jan Samvad rally in Bhopal through a video link on Thursday, Nadda accused the Congress of receiving a huge donation from the Chinese Embassy in 2005-06. "I saw television and I was shocked and surprised to know that the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Embassy gave $300,000 to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) in 2005-06," he claimed.

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A BJP statement later quoted Nadda as saying at the rally that the Chinese embassy gave Rs 90 lakh to the RGF. "This is the Congress party and China's secret relationship. After this, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation carried out many studies which advocated free trade," Nadda alleged. "The country wants to know why the funds were given to the Foundation? What studies were carried out for that nation?" Nadda said.

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Rajiv Gandhi Foundation

According to its website, Delhi-based RGF was set up on June 21, 1991, and is currently chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The other trustees include senior party leaders like former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram, Rahul Gandhi, Sanjiv Goenka, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra among others. RGF says it works in five key areas — literacy, promotion of science & technology, empowerment of the underprivileged and handicapped, promotion of excellence in aviation, and operates a think tank named RGICS.

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Congress-CPC MoU

While Congress has repeatedly slammed PM Modi for 'denying Chinese intrusions in Ladakh', the party is already under scanner for the MoU signed by then Congress VP Rahul Gandhi and Wang Jiarui, then-Minister of the International Department of Central Committee of the CPC in the presence of then-Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and Sonia Gandhi in 2008. The memorandum was signed to "facilitate top-level diplomatic engagement" between the two parties and consult each other over key international and regional issues. 

The BJP and Congress have simmered a bitter political faceoff following the Chinese aggression in eastern Ladakh that led to fatalities on India's side at Galwan last week. While Congress relentlessly cornered the Modi government over its handling of China; BJP in its part has hit back with allegations of opposition "colluding" with Beijing.

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(With agency inputs)