BJP targets Sonia, Rahul over former CAG's claims

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday launched a frontal attack on Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi over former CAG Vinod Rai's claims that former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh knew of the 2G scam, and alleged that the latter was their puppet.

"It is clear from Vinod Rai's statement that the then prime minister was a puppet. Our charge is if the (former) prime minister was a puppet then who was pulling the strings. Were the Congress' 2G-Sonia G and Rahul G-were directing the prime minister? Was the (former) prime minister silent at their behest?" asked BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra.

"The country suffered huge losses. It is a big question and the country is looking for an answer," he added.

Congress leader P C Chacko, however, said that it was unfair on Rai's part to point fingers towards Dr. Singh, and added that the former CAG was giving a one-sided story to the various scams that have surfaced.

"It is unfair on the part of ex-CAG Vinod Rai to harp on the same thing, knowing he is accusing a person whose public life is spotless. There were several letters sent by A Raja to Dr. Singh and they were also replied to. But Vinod Rai is not mentioning all of that. He is giving a one-sided story," said Chacko.

Rai has alleged that three former Congress Members of Parliament had put pressure on him to keep Dr Singh's name out of the 2G scam report. He also alleged that contrary to reports, Dr. Singh was well aware of the impending scam.

According to Rai, the three former MPs - Sanjay Nirupam, Ashwini Kumar and Sandeep Dikshit - pressured him to keep the former prime minister's name out of the report despite the then Telecom Minister A Raja, the prime accused in the 2G scam, keeping him in the loop over each decision that was taken.

In an interview with Times Now, Rai further alleged that the then Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath had also warned the Prime Minister against the developing scams.