Rs 71 lakh too small an amount for a central minister to indulge in a scam: Beni Prasad Verma

NEW DELHI: Union steel minister Beni Prasad Verma has said that Rs 71 lakh was too small an amount for a central minister to indulge in a scam, prompting the Opposition to retort that Congress does not think below crores of rupees.

Though Verma sought to defend embattled Cabinet colleague Salman Khurshid, whose trust is facing allegations of misusing government funds, the steel minister's argument gave the Opposition another opportunity to hit out at the ruling party.

"Khurshid is a responsible person. He is a central minister. He was a central minister earlier as well. When he is saying there is no scam, he should be believed," Verma said on Monday, adding, "I don't think a person like Khurshid will do anything for an amount like Rs 71 lakh. It is a very small amount for a central minister. If it would have been Rs 71 crore, even I would have been serious."

The Opposition did not miss the opportunity to take a dig at the Congress. "In their dreams too, Congress leaders see crores," said BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain, "They cannot think in just lakhs. In times of scams that involve so many crores, this looks small. The minister's comment reflects Congress' thinking."

Verma lashed out at Arvind Kejriwal. "Kejriwal is going to launch a party. I have all the best wishes for him... Don't bark, day in day out, try sometimes to roar like a tiger."