RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das was involved in 'corruption', alleges Swamy

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy Saturday alleged Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das was involved in corruption and termed his recent appointment to the top post as a "surprise".

He did not give any details about the "corruption", an allegation he has made in the past as well.

"The new governor of (RBI) is highly corrupt. I got him removed from the (Finance Ministry). I am calling Shaktikanta Das as a corrupt person. I am surprised that the man I got removed from the Finance Ministry for corruption was brought in as governor," Swamy said at an interactive session at the Indian School of Business here.

Later, when reporters asked him who he thinks should head the RBI, Swamy, a Rajya Sabha member, named Indian Institute of Management Bangalore professor R Vaidyanathan.

"Professor R Vaidyanathan, former professor of finance (IIM-B), would have been much better. He is also old Sangh man. He is our man," he said.

Das, who spearheaded the post-demonetisation normalisation of the economy, was named the new RBI governor on December 11, a day after incumbent Urjit Patel quit the post.

On being asked about the 2019 general elections, Swamy asserted that the Saffron party would come back to power as "there is no anti-incumbency" against the Narendra Modi government.

To a question on Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Swamy alleged he held a British citizenship and cannot become a prime minister, a charge already rejected by the former.

"...by the way Rahul Gandhi cannot be a prime minister because he is a citizen of Britain and his Indian citizenship will be cancelled, he won't even be an MP," he claimed.

Swamy had in 2016 made the allegation and after it was raised in the Parliament Ethics Committee, Gandhi, in his response in March that year, had rejected the charge, saying it was a move to malign him.

The BJP leader had alleged that Gandhi declared himself a British citizen to occupy the post of the director of a company there.

On the Ram temple issue, Swamy said, "There is a widespread desire, even in Tamil Nadu, that a Ram temple must be built (in Ayodhya). And we will build it..."

He said he had given a proposal to the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha on Ram temple, but did not elaborate.