The Congress leadership has backed the Kerala unit of the party, where a number of leaders are facing corruption, rape and other criminal charges, following the submission of a judicial report on the infamous solar scam. The BJP, meanwhile, has demanded a through probe into the matter.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters that the CPI(M)-led State government was indulging in a political vendetta by targeting senior leaders such as former chief minister Oommen Chandy.
“No one is going to believe the allegations against senior leaders such as Chandy,” Singhvi said. He also urged the CPI(M) to desist from such vendetta politics.
The BJP demanded a time-bound, independent probe against Chandy and others implicated in the commission’s report. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the solar scam revelations are further proof of the Congress’ “unending corruption that doesn’t cease even after three years away from power”.
‘Implicated squarely’ “The enquiry commission was set up by Chandy and it has implicated him squarely. He has been found guilty. We want this to be investigated properly and the guilty punished,” said the Law Minister.
Prasad said the Congress had an “amazing” ability to corrupt every essential element — be it air, water, fire, earth or the sky. “There was corruption in air spectrum, coal, submarines and now the solar scam. The Congress finds ways of doing corruption in all five (sic) essential elements of nature. It is an amazing talent,” he said.
“While they are neck-deep in corruption, they do not shy from targeting others over frivolous issues. Their other quality is that taking measures against corruption is not part of their DNA,” said Prasad.
On Friday, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi interacted with leaders from Kerala, including Chandy, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, PCC chief MM Hasan and others.
Chandy said he would face the case legally. He added that the Congress and the UDF will fight the issue politically.
The former chief minister said the CPI(M)’s efforts would be foiled once the law took its own course.