Cong accuses Amit Shah of hiding liabilities in RS poll affidavit; BJP terms allegations 'fake'

The Congress today accused BJP chief Amit Shah of not declaring "his liabilities" in his Rajya Sabha election affidavit despite two plots of land owned by him being mortgaged by his son Jay for obtaining credit facility -- charges strongly dismissed by the ruling party as "bogus and fake".

Giving a point-by-point rebuttal to the Congress' allegations, BJP spokesperson Sambit Partra said Shah cannot show the liability of an independent entity belonging to his son as his own liability, asserting there would be hardly any politician of his stature who would pledge his properties for his or her son's loan.

Making the allegations against Shah at a press conference, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also said the party will approach the Election Commission over the issue and inform it that details given by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief in his election affidavit last year were "wrong". Shah was elected to Rajya Sabha from Gujarat in August 2017.

"The allegations against him (Shah) are totally bogus and fake...Even if Amit Shah has mortgaged his property, it does not mean that liability is his," Patra said, adding that the BJP chief has only mortgaged his property as a collateral security for his adult son's company.

The BJP spokesperson said, besides their own liabilities, politicians have to show liabilities of their spouse and dependent or minor children. "On the contrary, he (Shah) will be violating the law if he shows his adult son's liability in his election affidavit."