Vilification campaign in installment against Robert Vadra is on: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress today questioned the findings by Haryana government that Robert Vadra was alloted more land than prescribed in land pool policy in the state and alleged there was a "vilification campaign in installments" against the party President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law.

"We have already shown and virtually demonstrated that this is nothing but a vilification campaign in piecemeal installments...it is nothing but a re-think on the same issue into which a three-member committee of higher officials had earlier found no irregularity," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here.

Singhvi at the same time said if there was something that concerns a "private person", he would respond to it.

He was responding to a question about reports that two senior Haryana government officials, which probed the case, have now found that Vadra's company Skylight Hospitality owned land much more than the prescribe limit by the government.

"A three-member committee set up by the Haryana government had found no irregularity. Now a new government and a new Chief Minister has taken over the state and then a new committee consisting of officers junior to the earlier ones finds something else. This is not at all fair," Singhvi said.

The Congress spokesperson also downplayed questions about Rahul Gandhi's absence from Congress Foundation Day on Sunday claiming that it happened due to "pressing unavoidable exigencies" but refused to divulge the details.

"Only because of pressing unavoidable exigencies, the absence occurred," he said, but parried repeated queries on what kind of engagements Gandhi had or whether he was abroad.

Singhvi also dismissed a media report, which said senior leaders including party general secretaries have shot down Rahul Gandhi's election plans within the party.

"I reject any such speculation, meandering and reports based on fertile sources," he said.