Asserting that BJP does not interfere in the functioning of constitutional bodies like the CBI and the ED, Union Minister Jitendra Singh Saturday claimed that the entire frontline leadership of the Congress are out on bail in various cases and could be behind the bars anytime.
He was responding to a question about Robert Vadra, Congress President Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law, being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the third consecutive day in connection with a probe into allegations of money laundering to purchase assets abroad.
"I think the nation is watching this. May be they have lost the plot somewhere. It has become the norm for them (Congress) because the entire frontline leadership of the party are facing cases and are out on bail. They could be behind the bars anytime," Singh, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's office, told reporters here.
He said it is for the nation to decide whether they wish to offer any kind of room or political space to a party like this.
About whether the BJP is trying to divert people's attention from some issues confronting the NDA government, he said, "I do not think we have to exercise any pressure tactics to defeat the futile 'gathbandhan, mahagathbandan or mahamilawat' as Prime Minister Narendra Modi put it in the Lok Sabha."
"This grand alliance is a failed one. It is a coming together of some of the prime ministerial aspirants who have nothing in common and I do not think we need any pressure tactic.
"As far cases pending with the ED and CBI is concerned, these are independent bodies and the BJP government does not interfere with the functioning of the constitutional bodies," he said.
"They (Congress leaders) are on bail for reasons which are very well known to the media. They are not out on bail for cases or for reasons which are attributable to the BJP. These cases were registered much before the BJP came into power," Singh said.
Asked about the the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, he said the proposed legislation was brought up with a great deal of conviction and with a certain amount of sympathy and sensitivity towards those who had migrated under unfortunate circumstances.
"It is just that the Rajya Sabha is not functioning and therefore we were constrained not to carry forward with any businesses," Singh said.
On release of audio tapes purportedly of BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa and other people talking about horse-trading to come back to power in Karnataka, he said it is the Congress which is conditioned by that mindset.
"As far as the BJP is concerned, we do not believe in horse-trading. Rather, we are always ready to even sacrifice power like we did in Jammu and Kashmir.
"There was no compulsion (to walk out of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir last year) as the majority was with us. But we did so as we joined the coalition (with PDP) on the mandate of the people and left the it when the people did not want us to continue, he said.
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