‘Cowardly acts and blind witch-hunt’: Congress on probe into Gandhi trusts

Centre ordered probe into two trusts owned by Gandhi family

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi | Arvind Jain Congress president Sonia Gandhi and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi | Arvind Jain

The Congress on Wednesday reacted strongly to the Centre's decision to launch a probe into the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, calling it a “devious hounding” of those exposing the government’s ineptitude, and asserting that the party and its leadership will not be intimidated by the “cowardly acts” and “blind witch-hunt”.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted, saying, “Mr Modi believes the world is like him. He thinks everyone has a price or can be intimidated. He will never understand that those who fight for the truth have no price and cannot be intimidated.”

In a statement, AICC Communications Department head Randeep Surjewala said, “The Indian National Congress and its leadership will not be intimidated by the cowardly acts and blind witch-hunt by a panicked Modi government.”

He said that the “wild and insidious hatred” of the BJP of the Congress leadership unfolds every day in an embarrassing and uglier fashion. He claimed that the Narendra Modi government's move to order a probe into the trusts that are controlled by the Gandhis was a reaction to the questions raised by the opposition party and its leaders with regard to the Chinese intrusions into Ladakh, the alleged mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis and the economic slide.

“The humanitarian work and distinguished service provided by these charitable organisations has always stood out and will withstand any vengeful and roving enquiry. Every day, a new conspiracy is crafted by the delusional BJP leadership so as to spread disinformation, distraction and diversion to bury the apparent incompetence and complete failure of the Modi government,” Surjewala said.

He claimed that the BJP leadership is also scared of the questions being asked on its “deep-rooted Chinese connections, unexplained donations to the PM’s fund by Chinese entities and continued promotion of Chinese-owned businesses.”

“Will the Modi government hold an enquiry into the donations worth hundreds of crores received from Chinese entities into the PM-Cares fund? Will the Modi government hold an enquiry into the donations and the amounts received by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh from all sources including foreign sources, individuals, entities, organisations and governments?,” asked Surjewala.

“Will the Modi government hold a similar enquiry, as the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, into the donations and the amounts received by the ‘Vivekananda Foundation’ and the ‘India Foundation’ (and other such foundations) from all sources including foreign sources, individuals, entities, organisations and governments?,” he further asked.

He questioned whether the Modi government would order an inquiry into the Rs 7,000 crore received in donations through electoral bonds by political parties, including the BJP, and tell if there is any quid pro quo involved.

“Will the Modi government order an enquiry into the nearly 500 per cent increase in income and donations to the BJP from Rs 570.86 crore in 2015-2016 to Rs 2,410 crore in 2018-2019?” asked Surjewala.

“Our determination to hold the government accountable to the people of India and to speak for the deprived, the underprivileged and the downtrodden will only get strengthened by these desperate actions of a government too petrified to answer its own people,” he said.

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