Sonia Gandhi architect of Ahmed Patel-Teesta conspiracy, says BJP; Congress slams ‘manufactured charges’
India Today
The BJP has alleged that Congress president Sonia Gandhi was the architect of the conspiracy involving party leader Ahmed Patel and activist Teesta Setalvad to topple the Gujarat government after the 2002 riots. The Congress has hit back.
An acrimonious war of words has erupted between the Congress and the ruling BJP in the wake of the Gujarat Police’s affidavit which claims that activist Teesta Setalvad and others plotted to destabilise the Gujarat government after the 2002 riots, at the behest of Congress leader Ahmed Patel.
Hitting out at the opposition party, the BJP said the affidavit revealed the truth and alleged that Congress president Sonia Gandhi had orchestrated the “conspiracy” to topple the BJP-led Gujarat government and that Ahmed Patel was her “puppet” in this endeavour.
“Ahmed Patel is just a name, the driving force was his boss Sonia Gandhi. Through her chief political advisor Ahmed Patel, Sonia Gandhi attempted to malign Gujarat's image. Through him, she attempted to defame the chief minister Narendra Modi. She was architect of this entire conspiracy,” said BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra at a press conference on Saturday.
Citing the affidavit filed by the Gujarat Police SIT probing the matter, Patra said Teesta Setalvad and other accused -- former IPS officers R B Sreekumar and Sanjiv Bhatt -- had clandestine meetings with Ahmed Patel late at night. He also pointed out that the activist had received financial help from the former member of Parliament.
Whatever Teesta Setalvad did to destabilise Gujarat Govt & implicate Sh Modi was at the behest of the Congress and with a clear Political Objective.Initially about 30 lakh were paid to Teesta by Congress.So “Money” & “Lust for Power” were central to the conspiracy.
