Congress insists on PM Narendra Modi’s statement in Parliament

The Congress leaders alleged that diamond baron Jatin Mehta, who owes Rs 6,700 crore to a consortium of banks, was allowed to leave the country and take citizenship in the Caribbean nation of St Kitts and Nevis along with his wife in 2016.

The Congress on Monday insisted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a statement in Parliament on the steps being taken to bring the accused in banking fraud cases back to India (AP Photo/File)

The Congress on Monday insisted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a statement in Parliament on the steps being taken to bring the accused in banking fraud cases back to India. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said: “The PM has not been able to bring any black money back to India. On the contrary, he has been successful in sending white money out (of the country).”

Highlighting the BJP leadership’s alleged proximity with the fugitives, Azad said: “The PM goes on a number of foreign trips and the BJP says he is very popular worldwide. If it is so, why is this popularity not being used to bring back the people behind the huge bank scams? Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said, “While Nirav Modi is featured in a photograph in Davos in the same frame as the PM, the other accused, Mehul Choksi, is invited by the PM in a meeting at his residence where he is addressed by the PM by name. This showed Modi’s close connection with him.”

The Congress leaders alleged that diamond baron Jatin Mehta, who owes Rs 6,700 crore to a consortium of banks, was allowed to leave the country and take citizenship in the Caribbean nation of St Kitts and Nevis along with his wife in 2016. Under the BJP government, Lalit Modi, Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi were allowed to run away, the leaders alleged. “All these people had access to the government and to the BJP leadership,” Sharma said. “Then why is the Prime Minister quiet now.”

While the BJP has blamed the Congress-led UPA for spreading “landmines” during its regime, the Congress warned that “the damage ripples of India’s biggest banking scam i.e. the PNB and Nirav Modi fraud and many others that followed runs much deeper into our economy than their respective amounts.”

In an article posted on social media, the Congress said: “Dismal loan growth, weak deposit accumulation, and loss of market share for public sector banks have left the economy in a turmoil…”

Liz Mathew

Have been in journalism covering national politics for 23 years. Have covered six consecutive Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls in almost all the states. Currently writes on ruling BJP. Always loves to understand what's cooking in the national politics (And ventures into the act only in kitchen at home). ... Read More

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