BJP today scaled up its attack on Congress over corruption charges by citing income tax department probe to accuse Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh of "accepting bribe" from a private firm to buy a farm house in Mehrauli here.
With both parties involved in trading of graft charges and Congress stalling Parliament, BJP had yesterday released a sting video, accusing Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat of corruption and today said it would continue with its "installments" against the Opposition party leaders.
The charges raked up by the BJP were first leveled against Singh during the Himachal Pradesh Assembly election in 2012 and the party leaders quoted from probe document to claim that the charges against him stand "proved" and demanded his resignation.
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Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad taunted Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul over their allegations against some BJP leaders and sought their response on charges facing Singh and Rawat.
Prasad alleged that Singh accepted bribe from a hydel power firm Venture Energy and Technology Pvt Ltd for reviving its cancelled project in the state and the money was routed by the firm through a convoluted process to a company owned by his son and daughter to buy a firm house for over Rs 6.61 crore.
"Rahul Gandhi ji, Sonia Gandhi ji please explain... Is it quid pro quo or not? It is clear case of bribery... Will you ask Singh to resign?" Prasad joined by party spokesperson M J Akbar and Himachal Pradesh in-charge Shrikant Sharma said.
Singh's son Vikramaditya and daughter Aparajita purchased the property in Mehrauli through their company Maple Destination and Dream Build Pvt Ltd for Rs 6.61 crore.
Refuting the charges, Singh said in a tweet said that BJP was raising "old and unsubstantiated charges" against him and accused the Centre of "political witch-hunting".
"The BJP is desperately trying to divert the attention of media and people from the questionable conduct of their leaders for which they have no answer," the veteran Congress leader said.
A CBI inquiry is also on against Singh in the case.
