The BJP has tied itself in knots in responding to the latest ‘revelations’ by anti-corruption activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal on the alleged favours done by the government to Reliance Industries Limited.
Ever since Mr. Kejriwal triggered a storm accusing BJP president Nitin Gadkari of taking favours from the Maharashtra government, the party has been trying its best to market the young politician as a person of dubious connections.
Curiously, both the Congress and the BJP have charged Mr. Kejriwal with working at the behest of political forces. The Congress has said several times that he is in league with the BJP and Mr. Gadkari has in recent days accused him of working on behalf of the Congress.
Ironically, the BJP, which a day earlier raised serious questions on the sources of funding of India gainst Corruption headed by Mr. Kejriwal, had little option but to endorse the charges levelled by him against the RIL.
There is no way the party could have debunked Mr. Kejriwal’s charges as its senior leader Jaswant Singh, in a statement hours before Mr. Kejriwal’s press conference, raised almost the same issues.
However, the BJP’s endorsement of Mr. Kejriwal’s allegations came with riders. Asking the government to come clean on his charges, BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy at the same time dismissed as wrong Mr. Kejriwal’s contention that the NDA government giving a contract for exploration of the KG Basin in 2003-04 was “wrong”. “It should be kept in mind that NDA gave the contract for $2.2 per unit of gas for 17 years,” Mr. Rudy said.
The BJP spokesperson also downplayed the taped conversation between corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and the former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s foster son-in-law, Ranjan Bhattacharya, which was played by Mr. Kejriwal at his press conference.
“It is a private conversation. I find no reason to refer to it and would not like to quote it,” Mr. Rudy said.
Keywords: Reliance Industries, Congress, BJP, India Against Corruption Arvind Kejriwal, Mukesh Ambani, UPA government, Jaipal Reddy, Petroleum Ministry, Reliance Industries, KG-D6 basin
Any lay man/ mango man can understand the position of political parties. Nobody can fool all the people for a long time. Tell the truth and survive.
What a bunch of jokers - Congress and BJP! Both parties have miserably
failed to understand the mood of the nation in demanding far greater
transparency and accountability. Instead, these parties want to
provide transparency and accountability on their own terms. It was
evident from the days of Lokpal debate, when Congress didnt want to
give independence to CBI while BJP didnt want Lokayuktas in state.
Since then their collusion has continued to be exposed in Coalgate,
Silence on Vadra's misdeeds, Gadkari-NCP pacts and now on reliance. It
should also be noted that Subramanian Swamy is on record saying that
BJP, during its rule, denied permission to CBI to question Sonia on
Bofors!
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