'Sonia is not Vadra's chartered accountant'

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Sunday suggested that there was evidence against the kin of former Prime Minster Atal Behari Vajpayee and L K Advani of alleged corruption and wrong-doing but Congress will never use that to embarrass them.

Singh also rejected as "hollow" and "media hype" the allegations of "nexus" among Sonia Gandhi's son-law Robert Vadra, DLF and Congress government in Haryana to give Vadra undue benefits in land dealings. Defending Gandhi, the Congress leader said that she was not Vadra "Chartered Accountant" to question his rising assets.

"Not only me. There were lot of things, which came out during the NDA regime. But did Congress party ever use that. We will never use this...if I say, I do not have it (evidence against kin of Advani and Vajpayee), then it is not correct," Singh said replying to a volley of questions by Karan Thapar in Devil's Advocate programme on CNN-IBN.

He was asked about his statement that he had evidence against kin of Vajpayee and Advani.

Replying to questions, Singh also said that the evidence, which he has, "could" lead to allegations of corruption and wrong-doing against them and will be embarrassing for the leaders.

The AICC general secretary, was quick to add "politicians are also human beings. We are not gods...We can't keep a track or check on the innumerable relations, we have".

"Why should I be a complainant," Singh shot back arguing that there is Parliament and a number of authorities to look into these matters, when asked why he was not disclosing the evidence he has against kin of Vajpayee and Advani.

Dismissing allegations against Vadra, Singh said that there is no illegality in speedy clearance in mutation of land or change of land use permission, which are said to have happened in DLF-Vadra land deals.

"Sonia Gandhi is not the Chartered Accountant of Robert Vadra," he said, wondering whether "mothers-in-law also do the accounting for sons-in- law," when asked whether Congress President was aware of the rise in fortune of Vadra and whether she ever questioned it.

It is now being questioned that why the files moved so fast in the case of Vadra's land dealings, Singh said, adding that speed is not impropriety and should instead be rewarded.

"What is the nexus between Vadra and Haryana government run by the Congress? Has Sonia Gandhi ever spoken about Vadra to Chief Minister or ministers...you cannot hang  Sonia Gandhi with your allegations for an act, which she has not done," Singh said stressing that he wants to demolish the perception of nexus and corruption in the whole issue.

"I am a politician. What my relations do is not my business," he added saying that he also has four daughters and four son-in-laws but he is not after what they are doing.

Repeatedly questioned about land deals between DLF and Vadra, Singh said that it is something for the DLF to answer and asked "from where does Sonia Gandhi come into this".

Vadra comes from an "eminent family" and is not a person who had no assets before he married Priyanka Gandhi, he said.

"If any one had bought land in Haryana 10 years back, it would have gone up 100 times by now," he said when asked about Vadra's fortune growing exponentially after his marriage into the Gandhi family.

Singh also sought to dismiss suggestions that Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka was transferred abruptly because he started investigating the land deals of Vadra. "Did Vadra complain against Khemka. The Chief Secretary called Khemka and he said that he was quite satisfied," he said.

Asked about Vadra's controversial comment of "Mango Man in Banana Republic", Singh said the first was only a literal translation of Aam Admi having "great humour" and "absolute wit" but admitted that the second part of it is "not correct", adding "now I think he will be wiser".

He also rejected suggestions that the Vadra episode has damaged the image of Congress and Gandhi family saying he, DLF and Haryana government have given point wise facts on the allegations.