Narendra Modi received Rs 40 crore from Sahara before he became PM: Rahul Gandhi

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday alleged that Sahara paid Rs 40 crore (5.65 M EUR) to Narendra Modi before he became prime minister. He claimed that when Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, he received multiple payments spread across 2013-14 from the company. Rahul claimed that when the Income-Tax department raided Sahara’s premises in 2014, they recovered documents showing that payments have been made to Modi between the months of October 2013 and February 2014.

“As per record with IT, Rs 2.5 cr was given to PM Modi on 30 Oct ’13; Rs 5 cr on 12 Nov ’13; Rs 2.5 cr on 27 Nov ’13; Rs 5cr on 29 Nov ’13. Entries showed Rs 5cr given to PM Modi on 6 Dec ’13; Rs 5 cr on 19 Dec ’13; Rs 5cr on 13 Jan ’14; Rs 5 cr on 28 Jan ’14; Rs 5 cr 22 Feb ’14,” Gandhi said.

Modi became prime minister in May 2014, after the National Democratic Alliance swept the Lok Sabha polls. During the Parliament Winter Session, Rahul claimed that he had evidence linking PM Modi directly with corruption. He also claimed that if he was allowed to speak in the Parliament it would cause an “earthquake” in the country. The Bharatiya Janata Party immediately rubbished the allegations, saying that Rahul is a “non-serious political leader”. “It become their (Cong) habit to level baseless allegations against PM. Rahul Gandhi is a part time non-serious political leader,” said BJP.

Addressing a rally in Mehsana, he continued his tirade against PM Modi over demonetisation. Rahul Gandhi said the government’s step is not against corruption or black money, but it was against the honest poor people. Gandhi said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demonetisation is not a surgical strike on black money, but against poor and honest people of the this country.” Talking about the difficulties faced by the farmers after demonetisation, Gandhi said, “A farmer does not purchase his seeds by cheque or card but in cash, you (PM Modi) have taken away that cash from them.”

He also said that the Congress would have supported the government if it had taken any step to eradicate corruption. “If Narendra Modi ji’s government take any big or small step to eradicate corruption, Congress party will support them,” said Gandhi. He also said that the prime minister had made fun of labourers in Parliament.

He also accused the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh of snatching the land of tribals. “The BJP ruled government in MP, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh is snatching the land of tribals. And when somebody stand for his right, they are being shot,” said Gandhi. “You kill Dalit here in Gujarat, they live in fear,” Gandhi added.

Hitting out at the government over scrapping of high value notes, Gandhi reiterated that all cash is not black money and all black money is not in cash. Referring to the writing off of Vijay Mallya’s loan by the government, Gandhi said, “Modi ji cannot bring back money taken as loans by 1% rich people and hence he is using money of poor to waive of this bad debt. When Switzerland government has given you the list of names of people having black money deposited in Swiss bank, why are you not disclosing their name in Parliament.”