Congress asks PM to speak on ‘13 bank scams in 52 days’

Cronies are engaged in ‘ bank loot’ but Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Amit Shah are still ‘mute’, exclaimed on Saturday Congress spokesman Pawan Khera. He was addressing the media on the relationship between the BJP and promoters of Vadodara based Diamond Power Infrastructure Limited (DPIL), Sushil, Amit and Sumit Bhatnagar.

In the last 52 days, he claimed, as many as 13 cases of bank fraud and scams had come to light. In each of these cases, there were indications that people who defrauded Indian banks enjoyed close relationship with BJP leaders. Yet the Prime Minister, who addresses the nation every month and tweets on everything that happens abroad, has not cared to speak.

The CBI this week raided offices of DPIL and residence of Bhatnagar for fraudulently availing of loans from as many as 11 Indian banks. The company’s outstanding dues in June, 2016, the FIR says, were ₹2,654 Crore.

Accusing Amit Bhatnagar of being a major fund raiser of the BJP, Khera pointed out that Amit Bhatnagar was entrusted the task of organising Vadfest in Vadodara. Gujarat’s tourism department formed a Special Purpose Vehicle, Vadodara International Art and Cultural festival Authority, with minister Saurav Patel as the chairman. It was Patel who then designated Bhatnagar as the chief organiser of the fest for which the Gujarat Government spends substantial public funds.

Citing photographs of Bhatnagar with the then Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, Khera alleged that Bhatnagar was not only allowed to use 140 acres of forest land for the festival, he was also declared the brand ambassador for swachh Bharat.

Bhatnagar was arrested in 2015 after he was found to have evaded paying ₹40 Crore to Central Excise.

The company deals in electric cable and equipment. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said "murky dealing and crony business" of DPIL was exposed now.

"If chhota Modi's (Nirav Modi) pictures with the prime minister were not enough, there is now a proof of chhota Amit... The photograph of Amit Bhatnagar, the owner of the company, with Prime Minister Modi and Union minister Piyush Goyal - which are on social media - are clear proof of BJP having active connection with the fraudsters," Khera told reporters.

He alleged that Bhatnagar had been one of the "chief financiers" of the BJP in Vadodara, Gujarat.

Khera said Saurabh Patel, who was the energy minister of Gujarat in 2016, and Bhatnagar had organised a five-day Global Expo-SWITCH in Vadodara "at the expense of public money".