'RGF scam was raised by me in 2015, govt must act now': Subramanian Swamy

After BJP chief JP Nadda on Friday alleged that Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) was donating money to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation during the UPA years, senior party leader Subramanian Swamy claimed that the "RGF scam" was raised by him in the year 2015.

'Govt must act on my demand now'

Taking to Twitter, the Rajya Sabha MP said that he raised the issue with the Ministry of Urban Development in 2015 asking the government to cancel the plot allotment and seize the building because, in the year 1988, the plot was allotted for building Congress Head Office and so it cannot be used for private purpose. "Government must act on my demand now," he added.

Earlier in the day, JP Nadda said that to divert this public money into a family-run foundation is not only a "brazen fraud" but also a "big betrayal" of the people of India.

'Who chairs RGF? Smt. Sonia Gandhi'

Taking to Twitter, the BJP national President shared details of 'Partner Organisation and Donors Year 2005-2006' and 'Partner Organisation and Donors Year 2007-2008', which shows that PMNRF donated funds to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF).

He said that Sonia Gandhi, who chaired Rajvi Gandhi Foundation was completely reprehensible, disregarding ethics, processes and not bothered about transparency.

'A big betrayal of the people of India'

In another tweet, Nadda said, "People of India donated their hard-earned money to PMNRF to help their fellow citizens in need. To divert this public money into a family-run foundation is not only a brazen fraud but also a big betrayal of the people of India." He further said that one family's hunger for wealth has cost the nation immensely and asked the opposition party to apologise to the unchecked loot for self-gain.

Rajiv Gandhi Foundation

According to its website, Delhi-based RGF was set up on June 21, 1991, and is currently chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The other trustees include senior party leaders like former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra among others. RGF says it works in five key areas — literacy, promotion of science & technology, empowerment of the underprivileged and handicapped, promotion of excellence in aviation, and operates a think tank named RGICS.

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Congress-CPC MoU

While Congress has repeatedly slammed PM Modi for 'denying Chinese intrusions in Ladakh', the party is already under scanner for the MoU signed by then Congress VP Rahul Gandhi and Wang Jiarui, then-Minister of the International Department of Central Committee of the CPC in the presence of then-Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and Sonia Gandhi in 2008. The memorandum was signed to "facilitate top-level diplomatic engagement" between the two parties and consult each other over key international and regional issues. 

The BJP and Congress have simmered a bitter political faceoff following the Chinese aggression in eastern Ladakh that led to fatalities on India's side at Galwan last week. While Congress relentlessly cornered the Modi government over its handling of China; BJP in its part has hit back with allegations of opposition "colluding" with Beijing.

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(With agency inputs)