Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley engaged in a war of words with the Opposition Congress, with the finance minister questioning party president Rahul Gandhi's silence on the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate in the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter scam, and the Opposition hitting back at him over the Sahara and Yeddyurappa diaries.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP office, Jaitley said the Congress should answer who were referred to as 'RG', 'AP' and 'FAM' in documents cited by the ED. The initials were allegedly mentioned in dispatches of Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the chopper deal scam, which is being probed by the ED and the CBI. "Right to silence is for the accused, not one who is dreaming of becoming the country's Prime Minister, Jaitley said, adding that if there are no answers forthcoming, the country is "entitled to presume" that "no reply could have been given".
He added that oral evidence also corroborates what was found in the diaries. Probe agencies began investigation in 2013, when the UPA was in power, and according to the charge sheet, Michel is understood to have identified 'AP' as Ahmed Patel, senior Congress leader close to the Gandhi family. However, Michel had filed an application in a Delhi court, claiming he didn't name anybody.
Later in the day, the Congress hit back at Jaitley, saying the minister is showing "immense faith" in diary entries to level "bogus charges". The party also questioned why the BJP is being "mute" on charges regarding the Sahara and Yeddyurappa diaries.
Congress's spokesperson Randeep Surjewala took to Twitter to claim, "Suddenly, FM shows immense faith in 'diary entries' to make bogus allegations! What's good for the goose is good for the gander! Why is PM Modi and BJP silent on the Sahara diaries? Why is PM Modi and BJP mute on Yeddy diaries? Duplicity and doublespeak is ingrained in BJP's DNA."
A Virtual War Of Words
- Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said one ‘who is dreaming to be PM’ can’t be silent on the issue.
- He added that oral evidence corroborates what Christian Michel’s diary mentions.
- Congress hit back, saying the FM is ‘showing immense faith’ in bogus charges and diary entries
- It also asked the BJP to come clean on the Sahara and Yeddy diaries before asking Congress’s response
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Arun Jaitley")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}