Congress targets Modi govt., BJP over CBI closure report in Air India corruption case during Praful Patel’s tenure

Targeting the Narendra Modi-led government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) closure report in a 2017 corruption case involving Air India during former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel’s tenure, the Congress on Saturday held a press conference with a washing machine and a detergent powder to underscore how “stains” against politicians are “washed away” the moment they join the BJP or become a part of its alliance.

Eight months ago, Mr. Patel joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) that is part of the BJP-led coalition in Maharashtra.

Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the ruling party’s “fully automatic washing machine” works on the principle — “join BJP, case closed”.

Officials’ role under scanner

The Congress spokesperson also warned that it will “go after every single officer” of agencies “who has willingly become a party to undermining our democracy and our Constitution”.

Mr. Khera mentioned a 2014 chargesheet of the BJP against the UPA government in which it had referred to an Air India scam — when Mr. Patel was the Civil Aviation Minister — to the tune of ₹25,000-30,000 crore. In 2017, the CBI had filed two separate cases with regard to purchase of planes by Air India and leasing of aircraft for the then government-owned airline. In all, there were three cases and a closure report has been filed in one case.

“The CBI had alleged that in 2006, Mr. Patel abused his position as the Union [Civil] Aviation Minister to lease several aircraft for five years to Air India to benefit private players. The agency alleged that this was done even though Air India, then a public carrier, was expecting its own aircraft to be delivered to it from July 2007 onwards,” Mr. Khera said.

Giving a “live demo”, the Congress leader put a heavily stained T-shirt into the machine and after switching it on, a sparking white T-shirt was brought out. Mr. Khera claimed that the “BJP washing machine costs over ₹8,500 crore” — the money that the ruling party got through electoral bonds — and it is effective in cleaning all types of “stains of corruption” when used with “Modi washing powder”.

‘Modi washing powder’

A leaflet on the “Modi washing powder” was also distributed at the press conference with the Prime Minister’s picture and a tagline ‘saare daag chutkiyon mein dhule’ (All stains will be washed away in a jiffy).

The Congress claimed that there are, at least, 21 important leaders who have been whitewashed “clean” after the BJP made allegations of corruption and illegality against them.

“BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra asked the Congress to come clean on the allegation of a land deal between Mr. Patel and Iqbal Mirchi, a close aide of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim who was declared a global terrorist. We ask, what happened to that ludicrous allegation, now?” Mr. Khera pointed out.

“Is the BJP 2014 chargesheet about Praful Patel and many others who were part of Congress-UPA true? Or was it only meant for mudslinging? Or to coerce opponents into supporting the BJP. Which scenario holds true for Modi-Shah?” he added.