Jay Shah, Shaurya Doval, Nirav Modi…BJP now presents ‘Shirdi magic’: Rahul Gandhi

Congress President Rahul Gandhi (Photo: IANS/File)


Congress president Rahul Gandhi launched a fresh barb at Railway Minister Piyush Goyal after reports surfaced in connection with his involvement in a company which has allegedly defaulted on its loan.

Attaching The Wire news report, Gandhi in a tweet said that after controversies surrounding Jay Shah, Shaurya Doval (son of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval) and fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, BJP has now presented another ‘magic’ in the form Shirdi Industries controversy. (Translated from Hindi)

 In his tweet, Rahul Gandhi was referencing to a Mumbai-based company Shirdi Industries, whose chairman until July 2010 was the current Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

The Wire news report has alleged that the promoter of a company, which had Shirdi in its name and was in default of Rs 650 crore, has ties with Goyal, the union minister for railways and coal.

The Congress chief has earlier attacked Jay Shah over the sudden increase in the turnover of his company and Shaurya Doval for “conflict of interest” for allegedly getting funds for the “India Foundation”, which is run by him and has several union ministers and top BJP leaders on its board.

Gandhi and the Congress have dubbed Nirav Modi, an accused in the multi-crore fraud involving PNB, ‘Chhota Modi’.

The Congress chief has launched an offensive against the BJP and its leaders over allegations of graft while seeking to puncture the claim that there is no corruption in Narendra Modi-led government.

On Monday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party in the wake of the ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by several Dalit organisations to protest against the alleged dilution of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The Congress leader took to Twitter and wrote that keeping Dalits on lowest priority in society is in the DNA of the RSS and the BJP. “Dalts have taken to streets today to demand protection of their rights from the Narendra Modi-led government. He added that, “we salute the spirit” of people who have taken to the streets.”

Campaigning in Karnataka

Congress President Rahul Gandhi is campaigning in the poll-bound Karnataka state.

With Congress determined to retain power in the southern state, Rahul Gandhi has been campaigning in the state very extensively.

On this visit, he will be addressing a public rally at Government High School Ground in Davangere at 5.30 pm on Tuesday, and also attend a public contact programme at Shimoga and inaugurate a party office. He will later travel to Honnali, Harihara and Bathi in Davangere.