Government not serious about getting Mallya back: Congress

The Congress on Saturday asserted that the Narendra Modi government is not serious about getting controversial business tycoon Vijay Mallya back to India.

"It is not surprising. This government is actually trying to go through the motions of a smoke-screen. They are not serious in getting him (Mallya) back. The Indian High Commissioner in England understands that and therefore he does not see a problem in attending that event," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said talking to reporters here.

The Congress reaction came after media reports suggested that Indian High Commissioner in UK, Navtej Sarna, attended a function where Mallya too was present.

The High Commissioner "understands the policy of the government which is actually you create a smoke screen of activity. They are not serious of getting him," said Tewari.

"If the government is serious about getting him let them make public who travelled in his private plane in last five years," Tewari added.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday in an interview to Times Now said that it was not easy for any Indian government to extradite Mallya from the UK.

"Arun Jaitley is ostensibly doing what he has been asked to do -- try and walk on a tight rope and possibly try to subterfuge the action and hide a lot of inaction," Tewari said, reacting to Jaitley's statement.

"If they would have been serious they would have never let him go," Tewari said.

Mallya is wanted in bank loans default and money-laundering cases against him.

--IANS

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