Why is BJP silent on Reddy brothers, asks Congress
New Delhi, April 19 (IANS): Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a day after Shashi Tharoor resigned from the government over the IPL row, the Congress Monday quesioned the "eloquent silence" of the opposition party on the allegations of corruption against the Reddy brothers, mining barons who are ministers in the BJP government in Karnataka.
"The cabinet ministers in the BJP-led government in Karnataka are creating headlines for the wrong reasons and continuing corrupt practices in the Bellary issue. News reports based on facts, figures and investigations say it is day-light robbery," Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said here.
He said BJP president Nitin Gadkari and senior leader L.K. Advani were maintaining "golden, eloquent silence" on the allegations against the Reddy brothers.
Seeking to take a moral high ground on Tharoor's resignation as minister of state for external affairs over allegations of corruption in allocation of sweat equity to his friend Sunanda Pushkar in the IPL Kochi franchise, Singhvi said the party had made no attempt to "avoid the issue or brush it under the carpet".
"There was no knee-jerk reaction. It was a considered and reasoned process... the Congress has not taken refuge in the adjudicatory judicial process," he said.
Asked if Tharoor's resignation meant he was guilty, Singhvi said the decision to ask him to step down was taken based on prima facie view. He said the party had taken a larger view of the matter, and lauded the minister for submitting his resignation.
Tharoor resigned Sunday after the Congress core group decided that he should not continue in office over allegations that he misused office to favour Pushkar.