NEW DELHI: The war of words between the Congress and the BJP over the Rs 11,300 crore Punjab National Bank scam turned shriller on Friday.
The BJP hit out at the Congress, retorting that the scam had actually "started during UPA's reign in 2011."
"It is the alertness of the NDA government which has brought this scam to light," said Union minister Prakash Javadekar.
"All the NPAs, the wrongful distribution of loans, amongst others were all passed down to us by the UPA government. This is a scam by the bank and not the government," he charged.
The BJP also referred to Dinesh Dubey, a former director of the Allahabad Bank, who on Friday alleged that the Nirav Modi scam started during the UPA government.
Dubey also claimed he resigned from his post after being pressured to approve a loan, purportedly having to do with Mehul Choksi's Gitanjali Gems.
"Finance secretary during UPA's regime, instead of taking action, forced Dinesh Dubey to resign. We are asking who pressurised the finance secretary to pressurise Dinesh Dubey," Javadekar questioned.
Former banking secretary Rajiv Takru, however, refuted the allegations, saying: "I met this person only once in my life. He had come to my office to resign in 2013. The reason for the resignation was that he was unhappy over something. I accepted his resignation. I have never spoken to him."
The Congress, in an earlier press conference, alleged that what it calls "India's biggest bank loot scam" has now grown to the tune of Rs 21,306 crore, as "layers of conspiracy get unearthed by the hour."
"No wonder 'Udaan' is the buzzword of Modi government, wherein every scamster can fleece and fly - unchecked and undetected," mocked party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.
Surjewala demanded to know how the scam had "escaped everyone's attention", despite every bank having to go through four kinds of audit.
"Obviously, someone was protecting this network of fraud," he charged.
The Congress reiterated its claim about the culpability of the BJP-led government at the Centre, including the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
In a scathing attack on Thursday, the party had alleged that the PMO was informed about the alleged fraud perpetrated by billionaire jewellery designer Nirav Modi in July 2016, but had failed to act in the matter.