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The Congress on Monday questioned the links of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, with Afroz Fatta, who was allegedly involved in a hawala racket.
Fatta’s home in Surat was raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and he was last month booked on charges of running a Rs 700-crore hawala racket. Referring to pictures of Modi and Fatta on the Gujarat BJP website, the Congress accused Modi of protecting Fatta.
This Congress charge comes a day after the BJP attacked party president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law, Robert Vadra, in an eight-minute video and a six-page booklet titled ‘Damad Shree’.
The Congress on Monday released a series of pictures of Modi with Fatta. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “There is a hawala racketeer who prima facie has a connection with Modi. Will the BJP and Modi disclose the nature of the relationship?”
Describing Fatta as a well-known BJP supporter, the Congress spokesperson asked, “Whose money has been transmitted by Fatta? Why was this money brought back to India?”
The ED has found fake bills were allegedly raised for diamond consignments from Surat and money transferred to Hong Kong and Dubai through private banks. Directorate officials estimate the hawala racket could involve Rs 1,500 crore.
The Congress also raised Fatta’s alleged links with gangster Babloo Srivastava. “What is the connection with Babloo Srivastava? And, why is he seeking a stake in the money being channelled through the hawala racket? Do Modi and other BJP leaders have a connection with criminals?” the party spokesman said.
The Congress attack coincides with Sonia Gandhi’s daughter and Vadra’s wife, Priyanka Gandhi’s spirited charge against Modi about her husband’s land deals. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh tweeted her remark, “Desh ko chalane ke liye 56 inch ka seena nahin, bada dil chahiye (You do not need a 56-inch chest to run the country, you need a large heart).”
A Congress leader said, “Since Priyanka Gandhi started taking on Modi in Amethi and Rae Bareli, her campaign is resonating across the country and the BJP is unnerved. It is scurrying for cover and making mindless comments.”
