Work for Gandhi family, get promoted in Congress: BJP

New Delhi, June 27 (IANS) Days after the I-T Department served notice to Robert Vadra to pay Rs 25 crore for evading taxes, the BJP on Wednesday alleged that his close aide Krishnan Srinivasan was appointed AICC Secretary as a "quid pro quo" for his services to the Gandhi family.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra said Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were directors in 2008 in Blue Breeze Trading Pvt Ltd. Later, Priyanka Gandhi exited the company and one Krishnan Srinivasan was made the director, he said.

"That time there was no discussion on this name as he was working underground helping the Gandhi family in the same way as we have said about the Rs 25 crore case," he said and added the company had taken money from real estate company DLF Ltd for buying land.

Patra said money was saved and shifted under various heads for several years till it reached the Gandhi family. It worked in the same module as was in the case of National Herald, he said and asked Rahul Gandhi for a reply on why Srinivasan was promoted.

"Srinivasan's name becomes important today as some days ago Rahul Gandhi made him AICC Secretary and later in-charge of Telangana. This is quid pro quo -- first you engage in illegal activities for Gandhi family and then we will bring you in Congress and give promotion," he said.

Patra also questioned Rahul Gandhi on his brother-in-law Robert Vadra and his company Sky Light Hospitality, who has been charged with tax evasion during 2010-11 when UPA was in power and has now been served an income tax notice to pay Rs 25 crore.

Vadra had disclosed an income of Rs 37 lakh in 2010-11, while a re-evaluation by the I-T Department said the total income for the financial year was Rs 43 crore.

"I wish to ask Rahul Gandhi when Robert Vadra was engaged in corrupt practices, why did the UPA government overlook? Why was the assessment not correct that time when his company was getting windfall gains? Why he was not paying income tax like common citizens?

"The law is catching up and they will have to cough up the money which is the hard-earned money of the taxpayers of this country," he said.

Finally, Patra said Rahul Gandhi should have done his homework before commenting on an agency's report saying India was the most dangerous place for women, even worse than Syria.

"It was not based on any data or statistics, but was merely based on perception of 550 experts," he said.