Rana Kapoor’s ‘MF Hussain painting’ claim sparks political row between BJP, Congress

As the Enforcement Directorate (ED) continues to probe the money laundering case linked to him, former Yes Bank CEO Rana Kapoor said that he was forced to buy a painting by MF Hussain for Rs 2 crore from Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

This statement by the Yes Bank promoter has sparked a war of words between the Congress party and the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP). While Congress is terming the statement as a “political vendetta”, the BJP has taken this opportunity to hit out at its opposition.

Hitting out at the allegations made by Kapoor, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "This is absolutely astonishing. I don't want to use a strong word, it is absolutely disgusting that a 2010 transaction, a person who is behind bars for years, whose 20-30 bail applications have been rejected, who is called a crook and a fraudster, makes allegations about dead people and the government is jumping with joy only because it suits their political angle."

Rana Kapoor had claimed that Congress leader Murli Deora, who is now deceased, had “forced” him to buy an MF Hussain painting from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for Rs 2 crore, saying that the funds were being used for Sonia Gandhi’s treatment in New York

He had also said that in return for the transaction, the Congress party had offered to commemorate him with the Padma Bhushan award, which is one of the highest civilian honours in India.

As per PTI reports, Singhvi further said, “What is the objective of this, is it the result of your (government) pressure tactics and coercion on a person behind bars eager to get his freedom to record statements against political opponents and to keep a 12-year-old thing boiling just for the convenience of politics.”

Meanwhile, the BJP has criticized the Congress party in regard to the statement made by the Yes Bank founder, saying that the opposition is “selling the country’s highest civilian honour to the highest bidder.”

BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya said, “It is quite clear from Rana Kapoor’s confession to the ED that the Gandhis and Congress are not just extortionist but were also selling the country’s highest civilian honour to the highest bidder or durbaris, who did their bidding. It was an instrument to buy loyalty or silence.”

ED is investigating a money laundering case against Rana Kapoor and his family members. A case has also been registered against Rana Kapoor for illegally giving a loan of Rs 1900 crore to Gautam Thapar’s Avanta company.

(With inputs from agencies)

READ | ‘Was forced to buy Rs 2 crore MF Hussain painting from Priyanka Gandhi’: Yes Bank’s Rana Kapoor