Good Times ! Bad Times : Rahul has links with Hawala operator, says BJP

BJP releases video showing Manmohan saying his Govt 'keen' to help Kingfisher Airlines 

The ruling BJP on Thursday released video footage wherein the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had during the UPA dispensation told journalists that if private airlines get into difficulties, the government had the responsibility to "find ways to help them" tide over the crisis.

Movers & Shakers

Displaying the video footage, BJP leader and Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporter that besides Dr Singh even the then Civil Aviation Vyalar Ravi also spoke on similar vein and had said spoken to then finance minister saying - "we (UPA government) has to do something".

"It becomes crystal clear....'doodh ka doodh pani ka pani' and the UPA regime made special relaxation to restructure the mechanism and help Kingfisher from 2010 itself," Mr Goyal told reporters here. "There was specific directions to help the company...it was not a sector specific intent. But solely aimed to help one company," he said. Goyal claimed today the Modi government is acting firm against the wrong doers.

"This proves the connivance and conspiracy of Congress party, its leaders, the then Prime Minister and Civil Aviation Minister ....everyone tried to save the Kingfisher Airlines by giving them loans repeatedly," the minister said. In this context, he said Vijay Mallya himself wrote letters thanking the then Prime Minister Dr Singh for his help.  "This shows the propensity with which they can lie to cover up their sins," Mr Goyal said.

New Delhi, Sep 13 The BJP on Thursday stepped up attack against Congress president Rahul Gandhi and alleged that he has 'personal' links with a Hawala company and that he made use of "black money" even in personal capacity.
BJP spokesman Sambit Patra also 'wondered' if Gandhi family actually owned the Kingfisher Airlines by "proxy".  "We would like to get a answer from Rahul Gandhi on this....our second question is how the entire Gandhi family was helping Vijay Mallya and his Kingfisher Company," Patra told reporter here.

He said Mr Gandhi's company Young India had taken a loan of Rs 1 crore from a Kolkata-based
shell firm Dotex India Limited, owned by someone called Uday Shankar Mahavar.
"Dotex company director Uday Shankar confessed during investigations that he has 200 companies...Rahul had taken Rs 1 crore loan and then spent Rs 50 lakh to take over control of AJL (that runs National Herald)," he alleged.

Reading out from confessions made by Uday Shankar, he said Rahul Gandhi owes an answer as to 'how much of unaccounted money was used'.

“How much black money has been converted into white money,” he questioned and in this context claimed it is these factors which make Congress president and even his mother scream so much against the demonetisation move.
"How much unaccounted money of the Gandhi family has found route through such shell companies," he said.

Referring to Kingfisher Airlines, he said "At times it appears, the Kingfisher Airlines was not owned by Vijay Mallya but owned by the Gandhi family by proxy". “Benefits that Gandhi family got out of Kingfisher Airlines via business class upgradation, free tickets etc is in public domain,” he said.
There are series of letters between RBI and SBI and these show the previous UPA regime was "partial and biased" in favour of the company and would also keep all banking norms aside to help it.
"Mallya and Kingfisher Airlines used to always get sweet deal from the dispensation of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh," the BJP spokesman alleged.

Rahul drags PM Modi into Mallya row: Urges FM to clarify on who 'ordered' him

New Delhi : Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday sought to drag Prime Minister Narendra Modi into the murky political row of fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya and urged Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to clarify whether 'someone from top' had ordered him to conceal Mallya's plans to leave India.
Addressing an urgent press cofnerence here, Congress President Rahul gandhi, charging Mr jaitley  of 'colluding in a criminal running away of fugitive businessman Vijay mallya from the country', demanded his regination from his post.
"Arun Jaitley should clarify whether it was all his decision.....or if someone from top ordered him, he should speak out that too. It is an open and shut case. An economic offender tells Finance Minister before leaving for London....Why did not FM inform CBI and ED that he was planning to leave India," Congress president said.

''In this government Prime Minister decides everything......Arun Jaitley listens to the Prime Minister. So Jaitleyji should tell clearly whether he allowed the 'criminal' (Mallya) to flee India ...or there were orders from the Prime Minister," Mr Gandhi said.
Mr Gandhi alleged that Mr Jaitley was 'lying' when he said that he just had an informal meeting with Mallya.
Rahul alleged that Vijay Mallya and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley were witnessed by Congress leader P L Punia having a discussion in parliament just two days before the fugitive tycoon's flight to the UK. The Congress president fielded senior party leader P L Punia, who was "eyewitness" to the meeting between Mr Jaitley and the fugitive business tycoon Vijay Mallya on March 1, 2016 during the Budget session.

"It was a sit down meeting for about 20 minutes in the Central Hall of Parliament," Mr Gandhi said.

Mr Punia said: "There is CCTV footage available...there is proof of meeting between Jaitley and Mallya. First they spoke standing and then sat on a bench of the Central Hall of Parliament. It seemed a very intimate meeting".


"I challenge Jaitley on this meeting...If I am right, Jaitley has to quit politics and if I am wrong, I will do so....For last two-half-years, Jaitley never mentioned about this meeting," Mr Punia said.

Embarrassed over Mallya-Jaitley meet talk, BJP uses Mallya's letters to target Congress

At the receiving end over alleged meeting between Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

and the fugitive business tycoon, the BJP on Thursday directed its ire against senior Congress leader P Chidambaram and called him 'friend, father and philosopher of Indian black money'.

Talking to reporters here, BJP spokesman Sambit Patra  said to have been written by Mr Mallya wherein he talks about 'preferential treatment' given to Kingfisher Airlines for grant of Rs 500 crore loan. He claimed after a meeting between Mr Mallya and Mr Chidambaram, the senior Congress leader spoke to senior SBI officials in Bengaluru and rebuked them for not giving loans to Mr Mallya's company.

"Quickly the loan was granted....," he said.

In this context, he also wanted to know from Congress president Rahul Gandhi on what was his stake

at the 'good times (business)' of the Kingfiher Airlines.

"Coincidentally, bad times have come for both ...political bad times for the Gandhi family because people of this country have understood and bad times for Mr Mallya because we have a strong government in the Centre who will never spare any fugitive offender," Mr Patra said. He also dismissed the motives being attributed to Mr Mallya's 'supposed meeting' with Mr Jaitley in Parliament premises.

"If just to see each other in Parliament premises is an offence....Congress leadership should answer why there were meetings between Mallya and Chidambaram and also between Mallya and the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh," he said. He flayed Congress for its alleged double standard on Vijay Mallya issue. 

Describing P Chidambaram as 'father, friend and philosopher' of black money, Mr Patra said Vijay Mallya himself has said in letters and thanked the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for his 'meeting' and was PM's Secretary TKA Nair had helped him and subsequently his company was granted additional financial assistance.
"Everything seems clear....To hold such meetings and then grant bail is no sacred work," he alleged.