New Delhi:
After his claim of Rs 1880 crore being spent by the government on Sonia Gandhi's foreign trips rang hollow, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has tweaked his attack. He says the Congress, Mrs Gandhi's party, must explain why it has not shared the expenses on her trips, solicited by a Right to Information activist. He also asked why the Congress has not taken legal action against a vernacular daily that said the bill for Mrs Gandhi's trips adds upto more than Rs 1800 crore.
Mrs Gandhi, who has reportedly been diagnosed with cancer, has been getting treatment in hospitals abroad and spends several days in every couple of months outside the country in connection with this. Gujarat votes in the next few months for its next government. Mrs Gandhi is scheduled to visit the state tomorrow to launch the Congress campaign.
The Congress has derided Mr Modi's claim, especially because the man who filed the RTI application, Ramesh Verma, said that the figures being attributed to his petition are incorrect. In fact, he said, he hasn't received a response at all from the government. After his clarification, Mr Modi said that he is willing to publicly correct his claim, but said the Congress must explain why it hasn't shared the information sought by the activist, who lives in Haryana.
"I am not raising the question on the expense incurred on her trips abroad for her health," Mr Modi said, "but if some youth has asked for this under RTI how can you deny him the details?" he asked. Senior minister Kapil Sibal said yesterday that Mr Modi's accusations suggest he has lost his "mental balance." Mr Modi said at a rally today, "Congress leaders say I have lost mental balance, and I should go to the doctor. Let me tell them my doctors are my people... the people of my state."
The BJP today alleged that instead of coming clear on the issue, Congress is diverting attention by saying the Opposition is raising issues about her health.
"We condemn the Congress party's approach in diverting and adding issues which have not been raised by Gujarat Chief Minister (Narendra Modi). He has very clearly quoted media sources and raised a question. If you are genuinely interested in answering the question, you would say what was the amount spent," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.
(With inputs from PTI)