Our Correspondent / New Delhi
The opposition parties have come down heavely on the BJP government led by prime minister narendra Modi. Congress asked the government to explain how and why liquor baron Vijay Mallya was allowed to leave the country.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi today demanded Finance Minister Arun Jaitely resignation over reports of fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya meeting with minister before he escaped from the country.
In a latest tweet Rahul said: “Given Vijay Mallya’s extremely serious allegations in London today, the PM should immediately order an independent probe into the matter. Arun Jaitley should step down as FInance Minister while this probe is underway.”
Given Vijay Mallya’s extremely serious allegations in London today, the PM should immediately order an independent probe into the matter. Arun Jaitley should step down as FInance Minister while this probe is underway.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 12, 2018
Congresss spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi wanted to know what had transpired at the alleged meeting between Mallya and Jaitley.
“Congress has been repeatedly asserting for last over 18 months that not only Vijay Mallya but Nirav Modi, Choksi and many others have been allowed with impunity,”
Arun Jaitley denied Mallya’s claim and said he, who was a member of the Rajya Sabha, had walked up to him as he was leaving the Upper House and had mentioned an offer to reach a settlement with banks whom we owed money.
However, Singhvi claimed that Mallya’s remarks do not suggest a casual meeting in the Rajya Sabha. “I think more categorical and detailed response must be had,” Singhvi said. “Question remains how could he [Mallya] have left [the country] after everyone knew of his debts and non-performing assets.”
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal described Mallya’s comments as “absolutely shocking”. “PM Modi meets Nirav Modi before he flees the country,” the Aam Aadmi Party chief said on Twitter. “FM meets Vijay Mallya before he flees India. What transpired in these meetings? People want to know.”
PM Modi meets Neerav Modi before he flees the country. FM meets Vijay Mallya before he flees India. What transpired in these meetings? People want to know.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 12, 2018
Kejriwal asked who had instructed the agency to change the status of Mallya’s lookout notice from “detain” to “inform”.
“They (government) have to own up to the fact that they allowed this loot to happen and the fact that they are allowing this loot to happen, more are looting,” said Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury as saying.
Former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha said not only the government but the entire Bharatiya Janata Party must come clean on its relations with Vijay Mallya.
As with the Rafale scam and Choksi scam, this latest revelation by Mallya puts Modi govt in the dock. It is not the finance minister alone, we cannot be sure what other facts are being hidden even now. #Mallya #Modi #Scams
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) September 12, 2018
Not only the finance minister, the entire BJP must come clean on its relations with Vijay Mallya.
— Yashwant Sinha (@YashwantSinha) September 12, 2018
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav accused the government of being hands in glove with “scamsters and absconders” and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Arun Jaitley must respond to these allegations.