Amid complaints by the BJP that the money from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund was diverted to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, a trust controlled by the first family of the Congress, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced a probe into the accounts of three such trusts.

A spokesperson of the Ministry said in Twitter that that it has set up an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate investigations into violation of various legal provisions, including Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Income Tax Act and Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA), by Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.

“The Special Director of Enforcement Directorate will head the committee,” the spokesperson added.

‘No a political move’

BJP General Secretary P Muralidhar Rao asserted that there was no political motive behind the Home Ministry ordering investigation into the RGF.

“Transactions of the RGF are in the public domain. The BJP is not party to anything that is going on. This issue has various dimensions. It is related to violations pertaining to the FRCA, it is related to donation acceptance, it is related to I-T audit. Modiji’s government works on transparency. When there are so many issues in the public domain, it was natural for the government to investigate. This is a public foundation. It is not a private trust. The Home Ministry has started various investigations in the interest of transparent governance. The Congress leaders have to cooperate. There is no political motive. If there was, we would have acted six years ago,” Rao said.

The Congress countered by asking Narendra Modi government to disclose the details of donations from Chinese companies to the PM CARES Fund. It said the Congress and its leadership will not be intimidated by the “cowardly acts and blind witch-hunt” by a panicked Modi government.

“Facing a barrage of questions on (i) blatant compromise of India’s security interests and territorial integrity, (ii) a shocking mishandling of the Covid-19 crisis which continues to devour lives and livelihood on a daily basis and (iii) unable to arrest the economic recession wreaking havoc on the life of every Indian citizen; a desperate Modi-Shah government has fallen back on a devious hounding of those exposing its ineptitude by ordering a wholly vicious and vengeful investigation of the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust,” said party’s media in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala.

He said the humanitarian work and distinguished service provided by these charitable organisations has always stood out and will withstand any vengeful and roving enquiry. “Will the Modi government hold an enquiry into the donations worth hundreds of crores received from Chinese entities into the PM CARES Fund? Will the Modi government hold an enquiry into the donations and the amounts received by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from all sources including foreign sources, individuals, entities, organisations and governments?” he asked.

He also sought a probe into the amounts received by the Vivekananda Foundation and the India Foundation and other such organisations from all sources.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW