Vadra accuses government of foul play ahead of Rajasthan polls

Congress President Rahul Gandhis brother-in-law Robert Vadra on Friday accused the government of foul play in the run up to the December 7 Rajasthan polls, calling their attempts "desperate, blatantly political and vindictive tactics".

"A flurry of media queries are suddenly being sent to me based on entirely false allegations probably being leaked by the government as polling day in Rajasthan comes close!! Interestingly, most of the issues arising thereof happen to be sub-judice," Vadra said in a Facebook post.

"Is it a mere coincidence that this also coincides with certain government agencies accelerating their activities and raking up issues that either have no connection to me at all or I have already responded to years ago and cooperated with them fully over the last four years?" he said.

Vadra said the sad part was that everyone except the Bharatiya Janata Party could see "how desperate, blatantly political and vindictive these tactics" were.

"I hope independent and professional persons in the media stay focused on issues that really matter to the public in Rajasthan like massive unemployment and misgovernance and don't allow themselves to get dragged into what is clearly the government's plan B every time they find themselves on the back foot be it Rafale or the prospect of losing assembly elections," he said.

Vadra was apparently reacting to queries about a media report that a firm that gave loan to buy Vadra's land at a premium got big relief from tax panel.

The report by The Indian Express said that the Enforcement Directorate, which has been investigating a web of controversial land transactions in Bikaner in Rajasthan, involving Vadra's companies, has asked the Income Tax Settlement Commission for details on its proceedings in the case related to Bhushan Power and Steel Limited, which gave a loan to a company that bought land owned by Vadra's firm at seven times the acquisition cost.

--IANS

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