Unfazed by BJP's counterattack on Rahul Gandhi after he levelled corruption charges against the Prime Minister, Congress demanded Narendra Modi face an independent inquiry as the allegations of personal corruption against him have led to "serious question of credibility".
"We all have great respect for the Prime Minister. (But) there is serious question of credibility...Credibility of the Prime Minister is at stake...Honesty and integrity (at stake)"
"Let him not hide behind cronies and ministers. The Prime Minister should come forward and say whether the charge is true or false. If false, why not subject himself to an independent inquiry," party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters.
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Noting that Sita also had to face a test, he recalled Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi too had faced a test when she had resigned as a member of the Lok Sabha in the wake of BJP's charges on the office of profit issue.
He reminded the Prime Minister that even BJP veteran L K Advani had resigned from the Lok Sabha when his name had figured in a hawala diary.
Taking a dig at BJP leaders and Union Ministers who have targeted Rahul, Surjewala said, "Anger is the refuge of the weak. Truth walks alone". He said BJP leaders should realise the charge against the Prime Minister are not based on hearsay nor are part of political mudslinging.
"Should there not be an investigation to find out the truth? If such evidence had surfaced against any other Indian, would there not have been a CBI investigation?," he asked.
The Congress leader was evasive when asked as which type of probe the party was seeking when it is demanding an "independent inquiry". He said only recently a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe was demanded by the Opposition in Parliament on the demonetisation issue.
Replying to a question, he said the Modi government should proceed against Opposition leaders including those of the Congress if the case againt the Prime Minister also brings out irregularities committed by them.
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"Modi has been making all kinds of allegations against the Congress, but now it is his turn to be in the dock," Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh said, adding that the nation has the right to know the truth on the charges against him and his government.
Singh said that instead of running away, Modi should come clean on these charges, as also on the truth behind the ill-conceived demonetisation policy that had plunged the nation into a deep financial crisis while leaving millions of Indians facing unprecedented woes.
