Updated July 8th, 2020 at 17:14 IST
Post-announcement of probe into Cong-linked trusts, Rahul takes on PM over 'intimidation'
After the Centre ordered a probe into the alleged violations by the RGF and other trusts, Congress' Rahul Gandhi maintained that he will not be intimidated
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Hours after the Centre ordered a probe into the alleged violations by the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and other Congress-linked trusts, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday maintained that he will not be intimidated. He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi lived under the illusion that everyone could be lured by money or be intimidated. Gandhi contended that "those who fight for the truth" could not be intimidated.
From the beginning of the LAC faceoff with China, Rahul Gandhi has been an ardent critic of the Narendra Modi-led government's handling of the situation. He has alleged Chinese occupation of Indian territory and soldiers being sent to fight unarmed- claims vociferously denied by the PM and the Ministry of External Affairs. Gandhi is a trustee of both the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust, which will be probed.
Mr Modi believes the world is like him. He thinks every one has a price or can be intimidated.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi)
He will never understand that those who fight for the truth have no price and cannot be intimidated.
Read: 'RGF Scam Was Raised By Me In 2015, Govt Must Act Now': Subramanian Swamy
MHA sets up inter-ministerial committee to coordinate investigations into violation of various legal provisions of PMLA, Income Tax Act, FCRA etc by Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust & Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs)
Spl. Dir of ED will head the committee.
Read: 'Clear Evidence Of Quid-pro-quo': Centre's First Response On Probe Into Sonia-helmed RGF
Congress faces serious accusations
The political blame game between BJP and Congress commenced after 20 Indian Army personnel were martyred in a violent clash with Chinese troops at the LAC on June 15. BJP accused the Congress leadership of having close ties with China. For instance, the MoU signed between former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Wang Jiarui, Minister of the International Department of Central Committee of the CPC on August 7, 2008, has come in for criticism.
The agreement reportedly pertained to exchanging high-level information and cooperation between Congress and the CPC besides providing the two parties with the "opportunity to consult each other on important bilateral, regional and international developments”. Moreover, BJP highlighted that Congress-backed RGF had received a donation of Rs.90 lakh from the Chinese Embassy in India in 2006-07. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi is the chairperson of the trust, senior party leaders such as Dr.Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra serve as trustees.
On June 26, BJP president JP Nadda shared documents to show that the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund money had been donated to the RGF. Terming this as a "brazen fraud", Nadda contended that one family's hunger for wealth had cost India immensely. While the Congress party has admitted that an MoU was signed with CPC, it claimed that the PMNRF money donated to the RGF was utilised in tsunami relief work.
Read: 'Fight China & Covid-19...': Congress Slams Modi Govt For PMLA Probe Into Sonia-helmed RGF
Read: 'Can't Clean Corruption Without Prosecuting Them...': Subramanian Swamy On MHA's RGF Probe
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Published July 8th, 2020 at 17:14 IST