BJP calls Vijay Mallya Congress’ “sin”, hits out at Rahul Gandhi

1/6

Raking up a 2011 statement of the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, BJP today said he had "supported" rescuing Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher airline as it hit back at Rahul Gandhi over his barbs at the Modi government over the liquor baron's travel to London as banks moved court to recover their dues. (Image Source: PTI)

2/6

The BJP chief accused Congress of obstructing the passage of GST Bill for "political reasons and its arrogance" and took on Rahul Gandhi over him questioning the government's work. While scams of Rs 12 lakh crore occured during UPA rule, honesty and transparency are the pillars of the BJP-led NDA government which is committed to the welfare of poor and farmers, Prasad said quoting the BJP chief. To ensure that the government could not work, Congress has been levelling baseless allegations against it, he said. (PTI)

3/6

"Rahul Gandhi should rather answer why Mallya was given loans by 17 banks, most of which are run by government, between 2004 and 2009 despite having dubious finances. What was his party's deal with him?" party National Secretary Shrikant Sharma said. As Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines faced turbulence, Singh was reported to have said steps would have to be taken to help the private sector entities if they get into difficulties. (Image Source: PTI)

4/6

It was due to the then government's pressure that the public banks gave Mallya loan and unfroze his account which was frozen due to his precarious financial condition, he alleged. "It is Congress which is the champion of corruption while our government is acting against such people," he said as he made a mention of Ottavio Quattrocchi, an alleged beneficiary in Bofors case whose escape from India was today used by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to attack Congress after Rahul's criticism of the government. (Image Source: PTI)

5/6

The Congress vice-president should do some homework before he attacks the government and his remarks only prove that he is "part time non-serious" politician, Sharma said. Earlier in the day, Gandhi asked the government how it allowed liquor baron, who owes over Rs 9,000 crore to banks, to leave the country and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had failed to answer this question in their speeches. (Image Source: PTI)

6/6

Attacking Gandhi over 'fair and lovely' jibe at a scheme brought out by the government to unearth black money, Sharma said, those coming clean under it will have to pay 15 per cent fine, besides 30 per cent tax. When the then government had brought out a scheme on similar lines in 1997, it envisaged 30 per cent tax on undisclosed assets at the market price prevailing in 1987 and slapped no fine, he claimed. (Image Source: PTI)