Karti Chidambaram arrest is vendetta, diversionary tactic: Congress

The Congress today labelled the arrest of senior leader P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram “vendetta”and a “diversionary tactic” by the Modi government to hide its scams and "mal-governance". Karti Chidambaram's arrest would not deter the party from speaking the truth to hold the government accountable, the party's communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said.

It was a “classical diversionary tactic” to hide “corruption scams, mal-governance and mal-administration that have marred this government”, Surjewala said.

“The Congress party will not be deterred by unleashing of vendetta against Mr P Chidambaram or his family. We will continue to speak the truth. We will continue to expose the Modi government’s corruption and we will continue to hold them accountable to people of the country,” he told reporters. Karti Chidambaram was arrested at Chennai airport around 8 am when he returned from the United Kingdom.

An FIR filed by the CBI on May 15 last year had alleged irregularities in the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Chidambaram was Union finance minister. It is alleged that Karti Chidambaram received funds to the tune of Rs 10 lakh in the case, officials said.

Surjewala said scams worth over Rs 30,000 crore were unearthed in the last 10 days alone. “But the prime minister has not moved the transition from ‘Maun Modi’ to ‘Bol Modi’. The prime minister remains mum about Çhhota Modi’ as also Mehul Choksi,” he said.

He cited the cases of designer jeweller Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, Rotomac and Durga Das Seth jeweller to say that fresh scams were being unearthed everyday but the prime minister was keeping quiet.

His party colleague, AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot, said Karti Chidambaram was arrested to divert attention from the big issues and the bank scam facing the NDA government.

Gehlot said on Twitter, “Mr Karti Chidambaram was arrested when he landed at Chennai airport, he was not trying to escape from India like Nirav Modi then arresting him on his arrival at airport is funny. Karti Chidambaram was cooperating with the CBI, the CBI could have summoned him.”