File photo of Robert Vadra
In its strongest attack against Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, the BJP on Sunday released a video on his alleged land deals terming it as 'Robert Vadra model of development'. (
Please explain Vadra model of development, BJP taunts Congress)
Alleging that the 'model' became successful due to the patronage provided by the Gandhi family to Robert Vadra, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday, "There was gross violation of laws relating to land and environment. The influence of the family helped make Vadra big earnings in the deals." (
BJP seeks a Supreme Court-monitored probe into Robert Vadra's land deals)
The party also returned the 'big heart' and 'moral strength' taunt by Mr Vadra's wife Priyanka.
"A member of the Gandhi family has talked about moral strength and large heart. So, we want to know on basis of which moral strength has Vadra built such a big business? And whose large heart helped him?" BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
"A 56-inch chest is not needed to run this country, a big heart is needed to run it. To run this country cruel force of power is not needed, but moral strength is needed. It needs an internal strength," Priyanka had said at a rally in Gorakhpur recently. (
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Apart from the 8-minute video, the BJP also released a six-page booklet titled 'Damad (son-in-law) Shree' which refers to the alleged deals of Mr Vadra in Rajasthan and Haryana.
Alleging that the land deals involving Mr Vadra were a "textbook case of corruption and crony capitalism under state patronage", Mr Prasad said the BJP wants to know from Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as to under whose patronage Mr Vadra was allowed to carry out the deals in Haryana and Rajasthan "violating various environmental and land laws".
Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, said the BJP was not targeting an individual but the issue of corruption. (
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The Congress hit back, saying old and baseless allegations are being regurgitated at election time. "The BJP is panicking due to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's campaign in Raebareli and Amethi," Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said.
"They don't have any proof or document against Mr Vadra. Even the courts have rejected the issue. These are baseless allegations," Congress leader Rajiv Shukla said.
BJP's latest offensive on the Gandhi family is in direct response to Sonia Gandhi's attack on
Narendra Modi's Gujarat model of development. On Saturday, at a rally in Punjab, she described Narendra Modi's model as
destructive and divisive.
"God save the country from this sort of model. It has many problems," Mrs Gandhi had said.