Assisting fraudsters have become Modi Govt's slogan: Congress

Continuing its tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central Government over fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, the Congress party on Saturday said that assisting the fraudsters has become the slogan of the ruling dispensation.

Choksi, who is allegedly involved in multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam along with businessman Nirav Modi has reportedly taken refuge in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda after moving there in July.

Addressing the media after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that they discussed several crucial issues including National Register of Citizens (NRC), corruption, bank fraud, unemployment and agrarian crisis during the meeting.

Surjewala also said that the Congress has taken a decision to start a mass movement against these issues.

Further cornering the Centre over the row pertaining to Choksi's escape to Antigua, Surjewala said, "This particular episode shows helping and assisting the fraudsters have become the slogan of the Modi government. We all can see how Mehul Choksi was given the citizenship of Antigua. The Congress Working Committee has taken cognisance of the fact that how at the behest of the Government, the foreign ministry gave a clean chit to the Antiguan authorities to help Choksi getting the passport."

Surjewala also accused the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) of providing a positive report on Choksi, based on which the latter was granted the citizenship of Antigua.

"It is indeed surprising on how the SEBI gave a clean chit to not only Choksi but also businessman Nirav Modi when both are responsible for the loot of close to Rupees 24,000 crore," he added.

Surjewala also trained guns at the Centre over the exclusion of nearly 40 lakh people from the Assam NRC final draft and said that these people should be given chance to prove their citizenship.

He also raised Rafale deal issue and said that Prime Minister Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are refraining from disclosing the price of the Rafale aircrafts.