Jaipur, Nov 12: Congress leader Digvijay Singh, referring to the Bhanwari Devi disappearance case, today alleged there were some CDs against BJP leaders also. “I am not in-charge of Rajasthan but at the same time what I have come to know is that there are some CDs against BJP leaders also,” he told a press conference here.
“The minister (Mahipal Maderna) has already resigned and the CBI is investigating the case, let it be over,” Singh said when asked what action the Congress High Command was planning to take against those allegedly involved in the case. When asked about the CDs he was talking about, he said “I came to know about it last night here and these are of local leaders belonging to Jodhpur or nearby areas,” he said.
On Gopalgarh violence, the Congress General Secretary Singh said it was an unfortunate incident and expressed satisfaction over actions taken by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
During the press conference, Digvijay Singh targeted the Team Anna and answered questions on corruption, black money and other issues.
He reiterated Gandhian Anna Hazare was being misguided by “self-seeking” and “ambitious” members who were following a “political objective scripted by the RSS and the BJP”. “Self-seeker and ambitious members of the Team Anna are misguiding Anna who has done an excellent work in rural development and others,” the Congress leader said. “As a government officer (Arvind Kejriwal), he could not have taken foreign funding for his NGO but he did so. Kiran Bedi has accepted the fact that she overcharged sponsors by submitting false claims.
“If false claims would have been submitted by the politicians, they would have been criticised most by the civil society members,” Singh said.
Why the civil society was now silent on this? asked the Congress leader.
“She (Bedi) claimed that she returned the money but if with this reasoning A Raja, Kanimozhi and Suresh Kalmadi return the money, which they are supposed to have taken, should they be released or the cases be closed?” he said. “From the first day, we have been saying that their movement is backed and supported by the RSS and the BJP. “The RSS and BJP leaders have already said this but why the Team Anna is not accepting the fact? When they do not have answers, they say that Digvijay Singh should be sent to mental hospital.”
Taking on BJP leader L K Advani on the black money issue, Singh wondered why he did not highlight the problem when he was the Deputy Prime Minister. He said the stand of the Congress on the issue had always been consistent and action was taken against those found involved in corruption.
“The UPA government has taken initiatives to bring back black money. Whatever steps are needed are being taken by the government.
“Treaties have been signed and the Finance Minister has produced the list of Indians who have kept the money in foreign banks and the process of taxation has started,” he said.
“Perhaps Advani is forgetting all these steps. He has forgotten it was UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi who had assured a strong Lokpal Bill in the AICC plenary session in December, 2010.
“The Congress took action against the Maharastra Chief Minister and members of the alliance partners,” the Congress leader said.
Why the BJP had not taken action against Bangaru Laxman under the Prevention of Corruption Act when he was “caught on tape accepting money” and other members of the NDA allies who faced corruption charges?, he asked.
He also asked Advani to clarify why the NDA government did not auction the 2G spectrum between 1998 and 2003. “Advani talks about clean politics but why the BJP does not take action against corrupt leaders. Why did Advani took a delegation to the Prime Minister to back Col Purohit, Devkinandan and Pragya Thakur when they were made accused in Malegaon blast?”
Singh said his party had no problems if Team Anna planned to campaign in Uttar Pradesh for any political leader. “We have no problems at all. Let them form a political party or let them come openly on a political party's platform. “From the very first day, we have been saying they are following a political objective, corruption is not their issue. The whole drama is scripted and directed by the RSS and BJP,” he said.
