The BJP has reacted angrily after the billionaire businessman, Vijay Mallya, shared a tweed posted by Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who was highlighting the hypocrisy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of black money.
In his tweet, Gandhi had said, “2014, HE said: I will bring back all the “BLACK” money in Swiss Banks & put 15 Lakhs in each Indian bank A/C. 2016, HE said: Demonetisation will cure India of “BLACK” money. 2018, HE says: 50% jump in Swiss Bank deposits by Indians, is “WHITE” money. No “BLACK” in Swiss Banks!”
Gandhi’s tweet had come in light of a new report stating that money deposited by Indians into Swiss banks had experienced a jump of 50% recently. While campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as a prime ministerial candidate, Modi had sought votes promising to bring back the black money, allegedly stashed in Swiss banks. Modi had even promised to deposit Rs 15-Rs 20 lakh in every Indian’s bank account after the black money deposited in foreign banks were brought back to India.
The BJP was quick to ask why Mallya was ‘endorsing’ Rahul’s criticism of India’s prime minister. “Rahul Gandhi has tweeted against PM Narendra Modi which was retweeted by the biggest defaulter of banks Vijay Mallya. It’s astonishing. The question that we all would like to ask Rahul Gandhi is ‘why Mr Mallya is endorsing you?'” BJP’s Sambit Patra was quoted as saying.
Patra’s comments came only a few days after he famously asked for Rahul to be beaten up with shoes on Aaj Tak channel.
Mallya had recently written to PM Modi expressing his desire to clear his loans worth thousands of crores of rupees owed to Indian banks. His letter had said, “I have also become a political pawn about whom politicians across party lines make reference to in public statements to either influence the electorate or set an example before several other industrialists whose companies are facing financial crisis.”
But the BJP had slammed him saying that has had no change of heart. “This is not a change of heart that he wants to repay the money (to banks) but the fact is that the law is catching up with those who felt entitled to play with the law,” Patra was quoted by IANS.