Gadkari’s U-turn: I never threatened I-T officials
29 Jan 2013 5:20 AM IST
On a day when the association of Income Tax officials demanded an apology from former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari for an alleged threat to Income Tax officials, Gadkari on Sunday denied he had threatened income tax authorities but insisted that the raids conducted on some companies allegedly associated with his Purti Group were a part of a conspiracy to malign him and his party.
‘I never threatened the I-T Department or its officials, I have full faith in the professional integrity of the department, unfortunately, my public statements have been distorted and misinterpreted,’ said Gadkari in a statement.However, he felt there was a conspiracy behind the raids.
‘I have reasons to believe that unnecessary dragging my name in the context of these inquiries is part of a conspiracy to defame me and my party,’ said the statement from Gadkari. The deliberate move, he added, to link me and members of my family in connection with these open inquiries against some companies and the misleading briefings to the media in this regard is calculated, mischievous and politically motivated to damage my reputation.
The BJP president said said that while exposing the sinister game plan of the UPA government to influence the inquires and mislead the media, he had only urged the IT Department and its officials to remain impartial and not get influenced by the dictates of their political bosses.The IT Department and its officials are free to conduct any independent inquiry in response to complaints received against any company or individuals, he said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Revenue Services (IRS) association in its resolution on Sunday stated, ‘The IRS Association has noted with deep concern and shock, the news-item appearing in the national dailies regarding the alleged threat issued by Shri Nitin Gadkari to the officers of the Income Tax Department investigating the case of suspected tax-evasion by certain companies’.
‘I never threatened the I-T Department or its officials, I have full faith in the professional integrity of the department, unfortunately, my public statements have been distorted and misinterpreted,’ said Gadkari in a statement.However, he felt there was a conspiracy behind the raids.
‘I have reasons to believe that unnecessary dragging my name in the context of these inquiries is part of a conspiracy to defame me and my party,’ said the statement from Gadkari. The deliberate move, he added, to link me and members of my family in connection with these open inquiries against some companies and the misleading briefings to the media in this regard is calculated, mischievous and politically motivated to damage my reputation.
The BJP president said said that while exposing the sinister game plan of the UPA government to influence the inquires and mislead the media, he had only urged the IT Department and its officials to remain impartial and not get influenced by the dictates of their political bosses.The IT Department and its officials are free to conduct any independent inquiry in response to complaints received against any company or individuals, he said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Revenue Services (IRS) association in its resolution on Sunday stated, ‘The IRS Association has noted with deep concern and shock, the news-item appearing in the national dailies regarding the alleged threat issued by Shri Nitin Gadkari to the officers of the Income Tax Department investigating the case of suspected tax-evasion by certain companies’.
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