Canards against UPA exposed: Manmohan

Buoyed by the 2G scam verdict, the Congress on Thursday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other BJP leaders apologise to the nation for their alleged “propaganda and lies” on the issue.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said a massive propaganda was unleashed against his Government and now the judgment speaks for itself. “I do not want to boast (about) anything. The court’s judgment has to be respected. I am glad that the court has pronounced unambiguously.

All the massive propaganda which was being done against the UPA was without any foundation,” he said.

Manmohan bore the brunt of the BJP attack for years over a series of scams corruption under his regime.

After its “improved” electoral success in Gujarat, the 2G case verdict came as a shot in the arm for the Congress. The party leaders went on offensive against the BJP and said they lost power in 2014 general elections because they fell prey to a campaign of ‘lie’ and ‘falsehood’.

Former Union Minister Kapil Sibal reiterated his “Zero Loss” theory and along with him several of his party colleagues sought the scalp of former CAG Vinod Rai. Congress president Rahul Gandhi said truth has triumphed and the verdict is a big win for the party and alliance partner DMK.

Later, a meeting was held at AICC headquarters to chalk out a massive countrywide protest against the BJP for misleading the nation. A Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is also scheduled for Friday to deliberate on future course of action for the party.

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram echoed Manmohan’s view, saying that the allegations of a major scam involving the highest levels of Government was “never true and not correct” and the verdict established that.

Attacking the BJP, Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “The BJP has been exposed for its untruth and propaganda against the Congress. The Prime Minister, (Finance Minister Arun) Jaitley and the BJP should apologise to the nation,” Surjewala said.

Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily too demanded that former CAG Vindo Rai, who had pegged the loss to the exchequer at Rs 1.76 lakh crore, be held accountable and resign from his responsibilities assigned by the Modi Government.