Work for Gandhi family, get promoted in Congress: BJP
New Delhi, June 27: Days after the I-T Department served notice to Robert Vadra to pay Rs 25 crore for evading taxes, the BJP on Wednesday alleged that his close aide Krishnan Srinivasan was appointed AICC Secretary as a "quid pro quo" for his services to the Gandhi family.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra said Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were directors in 2008 in Blue Breeze Trading Pvt Ltd. Later, Priyanka Gandhi exited the company and one Krishnan Srinivasan was made the director, he said.
"That time there was no discussion on this name as he was working underground helping the Gandhi family in the same way as we have said about the Rs 25 crore case," he said and added the company had taken money from real estate company DLF Ltd for buying land.
Patra said money was saved and shifted under various heads for several years till it reached the Gandhi family. It worked in the same module as was in the case of National Herald, he said and asked Rahul Gandhi for a reply on why Srinivasan was promoted.
"Srinivasan's name becomes important today as some days ago Rahul Gandhi made him AICC Secretary and later in-charge of Telangana. This is quid pro quo -- first you engage in illegal activities for Gandhi family and then we will bring you in Congress and give promotion," he said.
Patra also questioned Rahul Gandhi on his brother-in-law Robert Vadra and his company Sky Light Hospitality, who has been charged with tax evasion during 2010-11 when UPA was in power and has now been served an income tax notice to pay Rs 25 crore.
Vadra had disclosed an income of Rs 37 lakh in 2010-11, while a re-evaluation by the I-T Department said the total income for the financial year was Rs 43 crore.
"I wish to ask Rahul Gandhi when Robert Vadra was engaged in corrupt practices, why did the UPA government overlook? Why was the assessment not correct that time when his company was getting windfall gains? Why he was not paying income tax like common citizens?
"The law is catching up and they will have to cough up the money which is the hard-earned money of the taxpayers of this country," he said.
Finally, Patra said Rahul Gandhi should have done his homework before commenting on an agency's report saying India was the most dangerous place for women, even worse than Syria.
"It was not based on any data or statistics, but was merely based on perception of 550 experts," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
K’taka HC judge whose controversial remarks triggered controversy expresses regret before open court
Bengaluru: Karnataka High Court judge, Justice V Srishananda, on Saturday expressed regret in open court after facing backlash over his controversial remarks in his recent court hearings, reported Bar and Bench.
Two purported video clips from Justice V Srishananda’s court hearing that show him making inappropriate comments went viral across social media platforms.
On Saturday, Justice Srishananda invited members of the Advocates Association, Bengaluru, and senior lawyers to his courtroom at 2:30 PM, where he read out a note expressing regret for inappropriate comments.
Quoting Advocates Association President Vivek Subba Reddy, Bar and Bench wrote, “He expressed regret for the comments and clarified that it was not his intention to offend any community or members of the Bar. He also requested the association to relay this message to all members of the Bar.”
Reddy further stated, “We also advised him to encourage young lawyers in the courtroom and refrain from making any irrelevant remarks during hearings.”
Another senior lawyer present during the session confirmed to the legal news portal that Justice Srishananda also addressed comments directed at a woman lawyer, who was seen in one of the videos being reprimanded by the judge. The judge Justice Srishananda clarified that his remarks were not intended to target her (woman lawyer) specifically, but rather pertained to the appellant she was representing. “He explained that his comment was meant to imply that the appellant seemed to know a lot about the other party,” said the lawyer.
In addition, Justice Srishananda assured those present that he would avoid making such comments in the future.
The controversy came to light on September 19, when a video clip from an August 28 Court hearing surfaced on social media, showing Justice Srishananda referring to a Muslim-majority sub-locality in Bengaluru’s Goripalya as "Pakistan." Hours later, another video from the same courtroom emerged, in which the judge was seen making a gender-insensitive remark.
Following outrage over the viral videos, a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy, on September 20 took a suo motu cognizance and sought a report from the Karnataka High Court Registrar General in connection with the viral video.
