NAGPUR, Oct 24:
As a storm raged over the dealings by BJP chief Nitin Gadkari’s firm, the RSS today came out against “mind boggling” corruption but chose not to get involved in the controversy, saying it was an “internal matter of the party”.
Gadkari, who has already said he was open to a probe into the charges, also kept silent when asked whether he would step down following a suggestion by BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani not to take up a second term.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, when asked by the media about the controversy at the annual Vijayadashmi function at RSS headquarters here, directed them to Prachar Pramukh Manmohan Vaidya, reflecting discomfiture in the Sangh over accusations against the man it had catapulted to the top position in the BJP in 2009.
“I have already touched the issue of corruption (in general) in my speech and if you want to know more, you can speak to Manmohan Vaidya,” Bhagwat told reporters.
Vaidya, on his part, appeared to back a beleaguered Gadkari, saying the allegations of corruption “are in the media only”.
“A media trial is on and the person concerned (Gadkari) will put forth his views before the party,” he said.
Gadkari, who attended the function and shared the dais with the RSS brass, including Bhagwat, preferred silence on the issue despite persistent queries by the media.
Questions have been raised over the source of funds for Purti Power and Sugar Ltd controlled by Gadkari. Media investigations claim that major investments and large loans to Purti were made by a construction firm Ideal Road Builders (IRB) group, which had won contracts between 1995 and 1999, when Gadkari was PWD minister in Maharashtra.
There have also been reports that his driver, an employee of a bakery unit at the company and an astrologer were made directors of the company.
Gadkari has denied the allegations and offered himself and his companies to any probe.
Earlier, during his speech, Bhagwat attacked pervasive corruption and stressed importance of character building.
“The mind-boggling revelations of corruption have not come to an end yet. Many small and big agitations are being conducted to demand punishment to the corrupt, to bring back black money stashed away in foreign banks and for making stringent laws to curb corruption,” he said.
“We cannot become free of fault by leaving all responsibility to politics, government and the administration,” Bhagwat said. (PTI)
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