In the line of Opposition fire over the PNB fraud, the BJP on Monday accused former Finance Minister P Chidambaram of giving undue benefit to seven private companies, including the scam-tainted Gitanjali Gems, through a scheme called 80:20.

Union Minister and BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad sought both Chidambaram and Congress president Rahul Gandhi to answer why on May 16, 2014, the date of the declaration of Lok Sabha election results, the then Finance Minister in a lame duck Government gave ‘aashirvaad’ to the seven companies.

Lashing out at the Congress for playing deceptive politics on a range of issues like NPA, demonetisation, Rafale deal, Doklam border standoff, banking policies and Rs secularRs credentials of the BJP , Senior BJP Minister Raishankar Prasad said people in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland, have adequately responded to its politics of creating ‘bhay aur bhram’ (fear and confusion) in the country.

Citing the example of 80:20 scheme floated by the UPA in August 2013 and scrapped in November 2014 by the Modi-government, Prasad said the UPA dispensation first allowed only Government-owned MMTC to import gold but later benefited seven private companies, including Gitanjali Gems and Star, by permitting them also to import gold. In a way UPA Government said to these companies “ sona layeiye aur jewellery banaiye” (bring gold and sell jewellery). Gitanjali gems is owned by Mehul Choksi, uncle of jeweler Nirav Modi. Both are accused in defrauding the Punjab National Bank of over Rs 11, 400 crore.

Prasad said, “Let Chidambaram and Rahul tell why seven private companieswere given benefit”. In a swipe at the former finance minister, he further asked “Is it a jumla or a fact?”

Attacking the opposition party, Prasad said Congress must answer as “who were lobbying for Gitanjanli Gems and got cut from”. Prasad said that in the face of these facts, Congress is creating “fear and confusion” against Modi-government’s programmes and policies.He claimed while not one loan during the Modi-government turned into an NPA, the figure of stressed banking assets which were assessed by the UPA at 36 per cent turned out to be 82 per cent by the Modi-Government.

On Rafale fighter plane deal, he said Congress sought to spread disinformation even though BJP-Government “ did the best deal in price, weapon system and effectiveness”. Similarly, he said on Doklam issue while Rahul met Chinese ambassador in amidst the border standoff, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was globally praised for his leadership.

He said the Congress was against technology as it brings transparency in the system.

Drawing attention to the Congress scoring a duck in Tripura and Nagaland, he said BJP is all accepted in Nagaland, a state with 80 per cent Christian population, with BJP winning 12 of the 20 seats which it contested in the state. He said we have governments in Goa and Meghalaya- Christian populated states.” This is in appreciation of BJP’s sensitivity and accommodative nature towards the community”, he said.