Targeted for being part of Gandhi family, will soon join politics: Robert Vadra
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New Delhi (PTI): Robert Vadra, businessman and brother-in-law of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday claimed he is being targeted by probe agencies as he is part of the Gandhi family and that things would have been different had he been part of the BJP.
Vadra, whose wife Priyanka Gandhi made her electoral debut last year, said he is almost an activist now and will soon join politics as he has been working with people since 1999.
The businessman, who was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the second straight day on Wednesday in a 2008 Haryana land deal-linked money laundering case, said he is being asked the same questions.
He said all this is being done even after the Haryana government has given him a clean chit in the case.
The 56-year-old Vadra reached the ED office around 11 am accompanied by his wife and Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi. He was allowed to go home for lunch around 1:10 pm. The questioning is expected to continue after the lunch break.
"I am part of the Gandhi family, who always fights for the people. Obviously, the BJP has to go for (target) the Gandhi family and me. They have also charge-sheeted my family -- my mother-in-law Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
"The more you trouble us, the stronger we become... We will fight anything that comes our way," Vadra told PTI.
He said he and his family are one unit and such instances only strengthen his relationship with his wife.
It is very unfortunate that probe agencies are being "misused" by the government, he said.
"I feel that people don't believe in the agencies anymore because everyone in the country has realised that the ED and other agencies are being misused to put pressure on those who expose the government's wrongdoings. The government is trying to create a divide between Hindus and Muslims. All of this is done to distract from the real issues," he charged.
Vadra said he has become the voice of the people and will continue to fight.
"They can see I have become the voice of the people. I am almost like an activist now. This happened because I responded to the government and continue to fight back against the constant false accusations made against me. The people are with me, I serve them. People would like to see me in politics," he said.
Vadra said he has been campaigning and working for people since 1999.
"If I was to be in politics, I want to make a change. Yes, there will be a time when I will definitely be in politics. And I know that the truth will prevail," he asserted.
"Everybody who is hopeful of becoming a chief minister or wants to join politics is always troubled by agencies unless you join the BJP... No BJP leader or minister will be summoned by the agencies," he claimed.
Vadra said the BJP's Haryana government has given him a clean chit in the case as "no wrongdoing has happened".
"I don't understand what this is about and asking me the same kind of questions. I have answered all these questions in 2019. The case pertains to 2008 and why this delay of 17 years," he said.
The probe against Vadra is linked to a land deal in Haryana's Manesar-Shikohpur (now Sector 83) in Gurugram.
As part of the February 2008 land deal, Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, where Vadra was a director earlier, purchased 3.5 acres of land in Shikohpur from Onkareshwar Properties for Rs 7.5 crore.
A Congress government led by chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was in power in Haryana at that time.
In September 2012, Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd sold this 3.53 acres of land to realty major DLF for Rs 58 crore.
The land deal ran into controversy in October 2012 after IAS officer Ashok Khemka, then posted as the director general of land consolidation and land records-cum-inspector general of registration of Haryana, cancelled the mutation, categorising the transaction as violative of state consolidation Act and some related procedures.
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IPL likely to resume on May 16 or 17, final could be moved out of Kolkata
New Delhi, May 11 (PTI): Suspended due to the India-Pakistan military conflict, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to resume either on May 16 or 17 with the possibility of the final being moved out of Kolkata.
The announcement of ceasefire on Saturday paved the way for resumption of the league that was suspended on May 9 for one week.
The IPL Governing Council members and the BCCI officials discussed the resumption plan on Sunday.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the board is still working on creating a suitable schedule.
"As of now there is no decision on IPL. BCCI officials are working out on the solutions. BCCI secretary, IPL Chairman are in talks with franchises and everyone, so very soon we will know about the decision, efforts are being made to resume the tournament early," said Shukla.
An IPL source said the league will resume with the match between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Lucknow -- the game which was supposed to be played on May 9.
"All the teams have been asked to call back their players, the tournament will resume either on May 16 or 17 in Lucknow. The final schedule will be shared tomorrow (Monday)," a source told PTI.
"Most likely the matches will be held at four venues and Delhi and Dharamsala won't get to host more matches. All the equipment has already been removed from these venues," added the source.
The source also said that there won't be any change in the venue for Qualifier I and Eliminator that Hyderabad was supposed to host but Kolkata may miss out on hosting the final, most likely on June 1, due to rain forecast on that day in the city.
"As of now there is no change in venues for the play-off stage but it seems rain can affect the final in Kolkata. In that case the final could be played in Ahmedabad," said the source.
Speaking to PTI, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia added: "In the next few days, we will begin consultations with the franchises, broadcasters, sponsors and the state associations slated to host the remaining matches before crystallizating to a decision on the league's resumption.
"Given that the importance of IPL at this juncture, it will also be prudent and necessary to take the nod of the Government of India before finalising the time for its restart."
The abandoned game between PBKS and DC
It is possible that the two teams will be awarded a point each. Punjab Kings had raced to 122 for 1 in 10.1 overs when the game in Dharamsala had to be stopped due to heightened tension between India and Pakistan.
The players were ferried in bus to Jalandhar in Punjab from where they travelled to Delhi by train.
If only four venues are chosen to host the remaining 16 games then Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians will miss out on their home games.
It means the remainder of the tournament will be restricted to Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Lucknow.
CSK, RR and SRH are already out of the reckoning and the battle for sealing the four play-offs spots is among seven teams.
Gujarat Titans as of now are leading the table with 16 points and superior NRR of 0.793, followed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (16 points, 0.482), Punjab Kings (15), Mumbai Indians (14), Delhi Capitals (13), Kolkata Knight Riders (11) and Lucknow Super Giants (10).
