In a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi over his criticism of "Gujarat model", BJP today asked him to explain under what model his brother-in-law Robert Vadra was given huge tracts of land at throwaway prices and unqualified companies were given 2G spectrum and coal licenses.
Taunting the Congress Vice President, the party said he should do his homework before alleging that 45,000 acres of land were given to industrialists in Gujarat by the Narendra Modi government for Rs 1 per metre.
"The land was given but not by Modi but Shankarsinh Vaghela government supported by Congress. Rahul Gandhi should do some homework before making such allegations... This is an attempt to defame Gujarat government and Modi and confuse the people," party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.
Vadra, he alleged, had links with a private company given land near Rashtrapati Bhawan and Gandhi should explain it.
Gandhi had accused the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate of giving away land to select industrialists at throwaway prices. He had also dubbed the Gujarat model promoted by Modi as a "toffee model", saying it has benefited one industrialist, ignoring the interests of the farmers and the poor.
"Has such land been acquired or purchased or a change of land use made and what is the formula for it? Rahul should also explain as to why a large chunk of land in the vicinity of Rashtrapati Bhawan has been alloted to a private company having links with his brother-in-law," said Javadekar.
Raking up 2G and coal block allocation issues, the BJP leader said, "Rahul Gandhi must answer now as to why ineligible companies were given 2G spectrum licenses, and coal blocks and how such these companies were alloted licenses. Congress must think twice before raising accusing fingers at anybody."
Conceding that Gujarat government has allotted land to industrialists at concessional rate, he said all state governments have their industrial policy and offers land to industries for raising production, taxes, as well as employment.
He said, "If as per the policy land is alloted, nobody should raise objection. But instead of answering the questions, they have adopted a policy like that of (Arvind) Kejriwal to make wild accusations. This will not be tolerated either by the people or BJP.
