Make public BJP and RSS accounts: Congress to Modi

NEW DELHI: Congress today hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of transparency, telling him to disclose first how many hundreds of crores of Rupees were deposited in BJP accounts in months preceding the demonetisation before attacking other parties.

"Prime Minister is a habitual offender when it comes to speaking on transparency and accountability. May I ask Modi Ji while you speak about transparency and accountability of the democratic process, why are you not making the accounts of BJP and its units and RSS public", Congress chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters.

He said that this would enable the country to know that like on the "pattern of your Bengal unit", how many hundreds of crores of Rupees were deposited in Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes in BJP accounts all over the country in few months preceding the demonetisation.

"Why is Modiji not showing courage of conviction to disclose the details of properties purchased by BJP and RSS in the preceding months leading to demonetisation", Surjewala asked.

He told the Prime Minister that unless and until he held himself accountable to the claims that he make, words will not do, it is action and intent that will prove his bonafides.

At a public meeting in Kanpur, the Prime Minister earlier accused the Congress of always shying away from being accountable to the people and recalled a saying of then AICC Treasurer Sitaram Kesri to drive home the point.

"Na khata, na bahi, jo Kesri kahe wahi sahi (neither accounts nor ledgers, only thing that matters is what is said by Kesri)," Modi said.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh in a letter to the Prime Minister sought to debunk his claims on transparency and accountability. He asked Modi why he was not ordering a probe into the leak in Panama papers and Bahama papers where those allegedly involved have been made brand ambassadors by the Prime Minister.

He also wanted to know from the Prime Minister why his government was not acting fast on the issue of appointment of Lok Pal, the whistle blower act and benami properties.

Besides, he asked the Prime Minister why he was not initiating action against BJP chief Amit Shah whose close aides are being accused of irregularities in the wake of demonetisation.

Singh in the letter and Surjewala at the briefing detailed the steps enlisted by Congress President Sonia Gandhi at the Burari plenary of the party way back in 2010 to usher in transparency and accountability.

On the question on the proposal of the Election Commission to cleanse funding of political parties, Surjewala said Congress has always welcomed every move which would make the funding of election transparent, more accountable as also holds political parties accountable to the expenditures that they do including donations received by political parties.