Don't run helter skelter, come clear on kickback charges: Congress tells PM

The Congress Party on Thursday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come clear on the kickback charges alleged by party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and asked him not to beat around the bush.

"We will only say... please do not run helter skelter. Please do not beat around the bush. Come straight to the point. Did Modi ji take money from Birla and Sahara or did Modi ji not take the money...for Birla papers reflect a payment of Rs. 25 crores to Gujarat Chief Minister and Sahara papers reflect a payment of Rs. 40 crore and 10 lakh to Modi ji," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told ANI.

Asserting that the country is changing because it has started asking questions, Surjewala pointed out that the nation wants to know whether the Prime Minister has taken money or not.

Speaking in Gujarat's Mehsana yesterday, Gandhi alleged that in the records with the Income Tax, there were notings of Sahara officials' claims that they paid Prime Minister Modi nine times between October 2013 and February 2014 and that the total amount was Rs. 40 crore.

He also alleged that according to documents with the IT department, the Birla Group too paid Rs. 12 crore to the Prime Minister.

Seeking an independent inquiry, Gandhi said that he was raising the issue "on behalf of the country".