'Witch hunt': Chidambaram flays Centre over RGF probe, recalls fearless attitude of ex-PMs

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram on Thursday termed the Centre's probe into Congress-linked trusts as a "witch hunt". The Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust shall be probed for alleged violation of PMLA, Income Tax Act, FCRA provisions. The Special Director of ED will head the inter-ministerial committee to coordinate these investigations. 

Recalling that the brutal assassination of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Chidambaram stated that they faced death in the eye without fear. According to him, their message was that people should lead a fearless life. He added that the Congress party would face the probe with such an attitude. A day earlier, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi affirmed that he shall not be intimidated by the Centre's latest move. 

Read: 'RGF Scam Was Raised By Me In 2015, Govt Must Act Now': Subramanian Swamy

Read: 'Clear Evidence Of Quid-pro-quo': Centre's First Response On Probe Into Sonia-helmed RGF

BJP level serious charges against Congress

The political blame game between BJP and Congress commenced after 20 Indian Army personnel were martyred in a violent clash with Chinese troops at the LAC on June 15. BJP accused the Congress leadership of having close ties with China. For instance, the MoU signed between former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Wang Jiarui, Minister of the International Department of Central Committee of the CPC on August 7, 2008, has come in for criticism.

The agreement reportedly pertained to exchanging high-level information and cooperation between Congress and the CPC besides providing the two parties with the "opportunity to consult each other on important bilateral, regional and international developments”. Moreover, BJP highlighted that Congress-backed RGF had received a donation of Rs.90 lakh from the Chinese Embassy in India in 2006-07. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi is the chairperson of the trust, senior party leaders such as Dr.Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra serve as trustees.

On June 26, BJP president JP Nadda shared documents to show that the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund money had been donated to the RGF. Terming this as a "brazen fraud", Nadda contended that one family's hunger for wealth had cost India immensely. While the Congress party has admitted that an MoU was signed with CPC, it claimed that the PMNRF money donated to the RGF was utilised in tsunami relief work. 

Read: 'Can't Clean Corruption Without Prosecuting Them...': Subramanian Swamy On MHA's RGF Probe