From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jan 30: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who is also the AICC in-charge for Karnataka, debunked the charges levelled by former UPA minister Jayanthi Natarajan regarding the alleged "interference" by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi in the functioning of her Environment ministry during the UPA regime.
"The allegations (by Natarajan) are totally baseless and uncalled for," AICC General Secretary Digvijaya Singh said while speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Friday.
"First of all it is absolutely wrong that either Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi ever interfered in the functioning of the UPA Government. The Ministers were free to take their own decisions," Singh said.
Digvijaya Singh, who arrived in Bengaluru to hold a meeting with the State Congress leaders, said: "Allegations made by (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi regarding something called 'Jayanthi Tax or Natarajan Tax.’
"Now, it is upto her (Natarajan) to reply and make it clear whether Modi’s allegations are correct or not," Singh said.
Modi had made a veiled reference to the removal of Natarajan from the Environment Ministry, saying he had heard of "Jayanthi tax," apparently referring to allegations during her tenure.
Singh said: "One thing I know that Rahul Gandhi will be the last person to interfere in the functioning of any Ministry. Therefore, I think this kind of allegations by someone, who got everything in life from the Congress is uncalled for."
The AICC General Secretary asked Natarajan to answer to the people as to what she discussed with BJP National President Amit Shah during her meeting as had been reported in the media.
"Did she not attack the same person (Amit Shah) during the ‘snooping gate’ scandal?," he asked and wondered if she too wants to join BJP like another of her erstwhile colleague Krishna Thirath.
"It is almost eight months since the Narendra Modi government is in power. Why she is attacking the Congress President or Vice President at this stage, when the party is out of power?," he asked.