'If RGF returns Rs 20L, will PM assure China will vacate land'

Congress leader P. Chidambaram attacked the ruling party accusing the BJP president of sharing half-truths over the Rs 20 lakh donation from PMNRF to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. He further posed a question stating "Suppose RGF returns the Rs 20 lakh, will PM Modi assure the country that China will vacate its transgression and restore status quo ante?"

New Delhi: Former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram tore into the Centre on Saturday and slammed BJP president J.P. Nadda accusing him of specialising in half truths over the Rs 20 lakh donation from PMNRF to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) and questioned the government if it returned the amount will Prime Minister Narendra Modi assure the country that China will "vacate its transgression" and "restore" status quo ante.

The remarks by the senior Congress leader came soon after the party claimed that the Rs 20 lakh donation received from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) was used for the relief work in Andaman and Nicobar islands following the 2004 tsunami.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said, "BJP President Nadda specialises in speaking half-truths. My colleague Randeep Surjewala exposed his half truths yesterday."

Stepping up attack on the central government, Chidambaram said, "Why is the BJP hiding the fact that the Rs 20 lakh received by RGF from PMNRF in 2005 was for tsunami relief work in Andaman and Nicobar? And that every rupee was spent for the purpose and accounted for?"

Questioning the government, the Congress leader asked, "What has the grant to RGF 15 years ago got to do with China's intrusion into Indian territory in 2020 under the watch of the Modi government?"

Taking a pot shot at the government, Chidambaram said, "Suppose RGF returns the Rs 20 lakh, will PM Modi assure the country that China will vacate its transgression and restore status quo ante?"

Hitting out at the BJP President, he said, "Nadda, come to terms with reality and "don't live in the past that is distorted by your half-truths".

"Please answer our questions on Chinese intrusion into Indian territory," he said.

Nadda on Friday morning had taken a pot shot at the Congress over RGF receiving Rs 20 lakh from PMNRF in 2005.

The statement issued by chief spokesperson of the Congress, Randeep Singh Surjewala, on behalf of RGF, on Friday said: "Pursuant to the unprecedented tsunami in the last week of 2004, RGF received a modest amount of Rs 20 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund in the Financial Year 2005 which was duly utilised to undertake relief activities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands."

The statement said that this grant was used for the purposes specified.

"RGF accounts were duly audited and statutory returns were filed under Foreign Contributions Regulation Act (FCRA) to the Government of India. This grant has been duly reflected in all filings to the income tax and the Home Ministry and no authority has ever found any wrongdoing of any nature," the statement said.

"Diversion, disinformation and distraction" are the diabolical hallmarks of the BJP and the Narendra Modi government when exposed and caught lying on issues of national security and territorial integrity, alleged Surjewala.

The Congress leader said that the facts in the public domain clearly establish that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deliberately misled the nation on the issue of Chinese transgressions and "the brazen occupation of our territory".

IANS report