The Congress on Friday charged the top leadership of the ruling BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with having received a bribe to the tune of Rs 1800 crore, claiming this was revealed by the entries in a diary allegedly written by former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
The principal opposition party, looking to ramp up its attack on Modi and the BJP on the issue of corruption in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections, quoted a report carried in a The Caravan to accuse Modi and other top BJP leaders of being paid bribes. The article claimed that the diary purportedly belonging to Yeddyurappa, detailed pay-offs made to top BJP leaders during his tenure as chief minister of Karnataka. The entries in question are claimed to have been made in January 2009.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Randeep Surjewala, chief of the AICC's communications department, said prima facie, the diary expose is a case of bribery of the BJP's top leaders.
Surjewala pointed out that each page of the diary, which was seized by the Income Tax department during raids carried out in August 2017, was purportedly in Yeddyurappa's handwriting and carried his signature on every page.
He said that the IT department had put up a note to the Modi government seeking an investigation into the diary by the Enforcement Directorate and other agencies, but the government did not agree to it.
“Chor Chowkidar now needs to come forth and reply to the nation on the allegations made. Prima facie, the diary reflects corruption involing the top leadership of the BJP,” Surjewala said.
He also reminded that the diary had figured in a taped conversation that took place allegedly between Yeddyurappa and late BJP leader Ananth Kumar, and over which the Congress had held a press conference in February 2017.
Surjewala also said that the matter was a fit case for the Lokpal to probe. “It is for the Prime Minister to say whether the contents are correct or not and whether the IT department put upa note for investigation into the notings or not,” he said.
Earlier today, there was buzz that Congress President Rahul Gandhi would address the press conference. Also, the briefing, that was initially scheduled for 10:15 am, was postponed twice, finally to be held at two pm.
The allegations provide the Congress with fresh ammunition to attack Modi and the BJP on the issue of corruption before the Lok Sabha polls. The Congress President had made a leit motif out of the 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' campaign in a bid to corner Modi over alleged corruption in the Rafale deal, and the escape of businessmen such as Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi after defrauding state-run banks. Modi has sought to counter this with his 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign.
