New Delhi:
Sharpening its attack on Congress on corruption issue, BJP today alleged that "other" cabinet ministers are also involved in the 2G spectrum scam along with A Raja and asserted that they "will also have to go" along with the Telecom Minister.
"This money was not only looted by Raja... Congress leaders were also involved.... Money has not only gone to Chennai. It has benefited Congress also," BJP president Nitin Gadkari said while addressing a public rally in Najafgarh.
Questioning the role of other cabinet ministers and the Prime Minister in the 2G spectrum issue, Gadkari said, "Has Raja alone siphoned off the money. Has the Prime Minister not signed the files? If he was wrong, then why was he not stopped...? It is not just Raja who will have to go, other ministers who are involved in it will also have to go."
For the second consecutive day, the party tried to link a close aide of Rahul Gandhi with CWG irregularities.
"Emaar-MGF, the firm that built the Games village is involved in a scam of Rs 2,000 crore. Who owns this company? One of its owners is one Gupta. His nephew Kanishka Singh is the political secretary of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
"I seek answers on this from Sonia Gandhi," Gadkari said.
Kanishka Singh, however, said that he has absolutely nothing to do with the matter and termed BJP's allegations as "entirely baseless, false and with an ulterior purpose".
To blunt the opposition's attack over multiple corruption charges, the Congress last week sacked Suresh Kalmadi, who was the CWG 2010 Organising Committee Chairman, from a party post.
Gadkari said, "Kalmadi was not the only one involved in CWG scam. Other Congress ministers also played a role. There are many other players like Kalmadi in this scam."
Stating that the Prime Minister's Office, Finance Minister, Sports Minister and seven Cabinet Ministers along with the Delhi Chief Minister were involved with the CWG, Gadkari demanded a JPC probe into the matter.
"Till the time the Joint Parliamentary Committee is not formed to investigate the CWG, we will keep fighting on the issue not only in Parliament but outside also," he added.
The Opposition has been seeking Raja's ouster but the Telecom Minister has been defiant about his role.