CONGRESS DEVP MODEL BASED ON CORRUPTION: LAW MINISTER

Launching a stinging attack against chief minister Virbhadra Singh, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that Congress party presented the country with two models of development through corruption.

“One is Robert Vadra model where a person becomes owner of estates worth ₹300 crore without investing a single penny,” said the union minister.

“Another is the Virbhadra model in which the apples priced at ₹25 lakh suddenly cost more than ₹6 crore,” he added.

He also likened the corruption allegations against Virbhadra with that of fodder scam involving former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Prasad said that apples from the orchards of the Himachal CM were transported on scooters and oil tankers just as vast herds of factious livestock and fodder was ferried on motorcycles in Bihar.

He further said that it was for the first time in the country that a sitting chief minister of the state was on bail.

“It is the classical case where the principal (Virbhadra) was on bail while the agent (a former LIC staffer) was in jail for the former’s financial improprieties,” said Shankar.

“Despite the Centre being proactive in providing funds, the state government has not done even a bit to utilise these grants. Due to BJP ruling at the Centre, Virbhadra created hurdles in the development projects for Himachal,” he alleged.

CLEARS BJP’S STAND ON TRIPLE TALAQ

Speaking on the issue of Triple Talaq, the Union minister said that it was not an issue of religion but gender dignity, justice and equality. “Congress has not cleared its stand on the issue due to vote bank politics,” he alleged.

He said that the goods and services tax (GST) will be a game changer.