On March 14, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that “the Congress knows the art of corruption and corruption through art,” following the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) report, which mentions Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as one of its case studies.
FATF, the global watchdog dealing with anti-money laundering measures and terror financing, released a report, “Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in the Art and Antiquities Market”, alleging that former Yes Bank CEO Rana Kapoor bought a mediocre painting from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for Rs. 2 crores.
Anurag Thakur said, “Congress knows the art of corruption and corruption through art. They are running a campaign against the country. They should apologise to the nation and stop their Cambridge cries.”
“Organisations investigating terror-funding cases are now conducting a case study on the corruption model of the Congress,” he added.
He claimed, “One after another, new models of Congress’s corruption are coming to the fore. Sometimes it is National Herald, sometimes some another. Now FATF has published a case study on how a former Union Minister in the UPA Government pressurized an individual.”
He further questioned Priyanka Gandhi Vadra about Rana Kapoor’s purchase of a painting for Rs 2 crores. He also asked whether India’s Padma awards have been sold in a similar manner, “My question to Priyanka Gandhi is who forced Rana Kapoor to pay Rs 2 crore bribe to purchase a painting? What was the need to sell that painting? On whom the money was spent that came from the painting? Who is Mr R who was involved in this? Whether it was a painting for Padma Bhushan? How many Padma awards, and paintings were sold and money was raised?”
He said, “Was Padma Bhushan being given in exchange of money and painting? Is this a corruption model of Congress? How many other national honors have you sold for money? You, people, didn’t miss any chance to sell the country. Today not only the country but the whole world questioning on Congress’ corruption. How many models of corruption does Congress have? Priyanka Gandhi have to give answers to the country what was necessity the that the painting was sold and was given Padma Bhushan. Who is Mr R? Is he in India or any other country? You have done the work of insulting the country from a foreign land.”
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury reacted to Anurag Thakur’s statement and alleged that the BJP indulged in a conspiracy. He said, “If they want to do conspiracy, then they can but we don’t care.”
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari claimed that Anurag Thakur is in ‘pain’ as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra formed the Congress government in his home state, Himachal Pradesh, though Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned in the state. He said, “I can understand the pain of Anurag Thakur, in his home state Priyanka Gandhi formed a Congress government when PM Narendra Modi campaigned in the state.”
DMK MP M Shanmugam said, “It is an allegation. Let them enquire. There are so many allegations but nothing was proved. There is no valid background or witness or document for those allegations,” claiming that it is BJP’s routine practice to level allegations against the Opposition.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray’s faction) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi asked the BJP to investigate the allegations raised against Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. She said, “I think that the BJP government has given the task to Smriti Irani to level allegations against the Gandhi family has taken her resignation… and the job has now been given to the I&B ministry.
The ED is investigating the allegations. Every other day you are making allegations, and if nothing else is found, then you make the allegations. You used to make allegations when you were in opposition, you make allegations when you are in power. All the agencies are in your hands, conduct an investigation.”
