BJP on Friday asked Cong to clarify whether it paid Rs 90 Crore to Associated Journals, which ran the now-defunct National Herald daily, saying if it was true it was violation of tax and electoral laws.
Raising questions on the basis of details provided by Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy yesterday, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley told reporters that if it was true that such a transfer had taken place then it could lead to various consequences for the Cong party, including withdrawal of tax exemption.
Jaitley said he merely wanted a specific answer from the party and not adjectives like baseless and untrue as was used in a communication issued by Rahul Gandhi's office to Swamy threatening defamation case against him.
He said if the Cong party were to say that what Swamy has alleged was wrong then the matter ends. If not, then the whole issue is one of 'gross impropriety and gross illegality'.
The former Law Min maintained that a political party can use its funds only for political purposes and not any business or financial activity. Swamy had alleged that All India Congress Committee had given Rs 90 Crore to Associated Journals Private Limited, publisher of National Herald and Quami Awaz, which was allegedly written off by a new company Young Indian, a Section 25 Company in which Rahul and Sonia Gandhi own 38 per cent shares each.
Raising questions on the basis of details provided by Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy yesterday, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley told reporters that if it was true that such a transfer had taken place then it could lead to various consequences for the Cong party, including withdrawal of tax exemption.
Jaitley said he merely wanted a specific answer from the party and not adjectives like baseless and untrue as was used in a communication issued by Rahul Gandhi's office to Swamy threatening defamation case against him.
He said if the Cong party were to say that what Swamy has alleged was wrong then the matter ends. If not, then the whole issue is one of 'gross impropriety and gross illegality'.
The former Law Min maintained that a political party can use its funds only for political purposes and not any business or financial activity. Swamy had alleged that All India Congress Committee had given Rs 90 Crore to Associated Journals Private Limited, publisher of National Herald and Quami Awaz, which was allegedly written off by a new company Young Indian, a Section 25 Company in which Rahul and Sonia Gandhi own 38 per cent shares each.