Narendra Modi took money from Sahara in 2013: Rahul Gandhi slams PM in Gujarat

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi took on Narendra Modi at the prime minister’s home turf in Mehsana, Gujarat, accusing Modi of having taken money from the Sahara conglomerate. He also accused Modi of being against the honest people of India, saying the demonetisation exercise will not nab the corrupt people or the black money hoarders. A few days back, Rahul had alleged, “Modi is very scared because I have personal information on the prime minister.” On Wednesday, he followed up that by saying Modi got money from Sahara back when when he was chief minister of Gujarat.

#BREAKING -- After 170 hours, Rahul presents 'proof' says, PM got money from Sahara when he was Gujarat CM. Sahara said it paid Modi 9 times pic.twitter.com/193ZF5HJeR

— News18 (@CNNnews18) December 21, 2016

The Income Tax Department had raided Sahara Company on 22 November, 2014. Rahul said as per the records, Rs 2.5 crore was given to Modi on 30 October, 2013; Rs 5 crore on 12 November, 2013; Rs 2.5 crore on 27 November, 2013; Rs 5 crore on 29 November, 2013. He added that entries showed Rs 5 crore given to the prime minister on 6 December, 2013; Rs 5 crore on 19 December, 2013; Rs 5 crore on 13 January, 2014; Rs 5 crore on 28 January, 2014, and Rs 5 crore 22 February, 2014.

As per record with IT,Rs2.5 cr was given to PM Modi on 30 Oct '13;Rs 5cr on 12 Nov '13;Rs 2.5 cr on 27 Nov '13;Rs 5cr on 29 Nov '13: RGandhi pic.twitter.com/5nVqjO5FyB

— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2016

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Entries showed Rs 5cr given to PM Modi on 6 Dec ’13;Rs 5cr on 19 Dec ’13;Rs 5cr on 13 Jan ’14;Rs 5cr on 28 Jan ’14;Rs 5cr 22 Feb ’14-RGandhi pic.twitter.com/11S1jvF2Nh

— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2016

Similarly, as per documents with I-T department, the Birla group also paid Rs 12 crore to Modi when he was the Gujarat chief minister. The Congress vice-president said Modi has divided the country into two parts: 1 percent comprising the rich, and the 99 percent population of labourers, farmers, small-time traders and the middle class Indians. He alleged that because of Modi’s policies, the 1 percent population has amassed 60 percent of the country’s wealthy, while the 99 percent of the population of labourers, farmers, small-time traders and the middle class Indians were burdened with demonetisation. “All cash is not black, all black money is not in cash,” Rahul told the crowd in Mehsana, using a line he had last said at his Madgaon rally on Saturday. Black money is not with the 99 percent, but is being hoarded by the 50 rich families hobnobbing with Modi, he said. He accused the BJP government of taking land from the adivasis of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and that the Dalits are living in a state of fear. “The Patidars of Gujarat carried out their movement in a non-violent manner, but the BJP government tried repressing with violence,” he said, adding that only six percent of the black money is in cash, while 94 percent is in the form of real estate. During his Lok Sabha election campaign, Modi had promised to bring black money back to India, Rahul said. He said most of the black money is stored in off-shore accounts, and the Modi government had promised to recover it. He added that though the Switzerland government has shared a list of people holding accounts at Swiss banks with the prime minister, Modi never brought it up in Parliament. He also said that after demonetisation, Modi had changed the narrative a number of times. Initially, it was against black money, then it became a fight against counterfeit notes, and now it’s all about cashless economy. Rahul said that because of demonetisation, sectors like engineering, construction, powerloom, transport and textile have all been crippled. “It was not a surgical strike on black money, but firing bombing on the farmers, labourers and middle-class Indians,” he said. Rahul also alleged that Modi is protecting the 50 richest families in India. He said that it is the 1 percent rich who have taken loans worth Rs 8 lakh crores from the public sector banks that the prime minister is trying to protect. Rahul also mentioned Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya, and asked why were they not brought back to India. He said that Modi did not waive off farmer loans, but waived of loans of industrialists. Meanwhile, the BJP slammed Rahul and claimed that all allegations are false. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said he will soon hold a press conference and clarify all points raised by Rahul Gandhi.