National
Congress must come clean on Bofors scam: BJP
New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS) The BJP on Wednesday asked the Congress to come clean on the claims made by a US investigator Michael Hershman, who has alleged in television interviews that the then Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government had sabotaged his investigation into the Bofors case.
“Indians across the nation and the world have asked for accountability in the Bofors scam. Revelations made by Hershman brings to the forefront a few questions which Congress needs to answer,” Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani said at a press conference, referring to the claims made by Hershman.
She said that the questions raised by Hershman were not only for investigative agencies but also for the Congress party to come clean with.
“For too long, Congress conveniently kept quiet. It’s time they answer what’s the involvement of its leaders then and now in the Bofors case,” she said.
Hershman was the secret investigator of the Fairfax Group deployed by the Finance Ministry under V.P. Singh to probe suspicious transactions of some industrialists in Swiss banks. During this investigation, he chanced to stumble upon a suspicious deposit that could be later linked to Bofors payoffs. He also alleged that a Pakistani citizen met Rajiv Gandhi with a briefcase.
“Rajiv Gandhi met a Pakistani citizen. Who was this Pakistani gentleman who met Rajiv Gandhi with a briefcase? Which official of the BCCI (Bank of Credit and Commerce International based in Pakistan) was he? What was in the briefcase?,” Irani asked.
On the claim that Hershman received death threats and attempts to lure him, the Union Minister said: “It’s a matter of investigation as to which individual attempted to bribe those individuals who were investigating the Bofors scam.”
To a statement by Hershman that the Congress government tried to implicate V.P. Singh, the then Finance Minister, Irani said this was an attempt by the then Prime Minister in silencing Singh.
“Why would a Congress leader, the then Prime Minister of the country, choose to silence a Minister in his own government, was only because V.P. Singh was carrying out an investigation into the Bofors scam. This was to minimise the impact of the revelations made by Hershman,” she said.
The Bofors deal was signed between the then Rajiv Gandhi-led government and the Swedish company Bofors in 1986. In the same year, in March, the deal for 410 Howitzer field guns was completed.
The alleged corruption in the Bofors gun deal had created a scandal in 1987 and was one of the major reason for the defeat of the Congress in 1989 elections.
–IANS
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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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