BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh minister Kamal Patel has demanded a CBI probe against Congress leader Kamal Nath for allegedly favouring imports from China when he was the Union commerce minister.
The state agriculture and farmers welfare minister told reporters on Friday that he has written a letter in this regard to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Congress has denied the allegation made by the BJP leader against Nath, who was the commerce and industry minister in the party-led UPA government.
As per media reports, People's Republic of China had given assistance to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) headed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi amounting to crores.
"And the way the then commerce minister (Nath) gave relaxation to China in imports, it appears it was done in lieu of granting assistance to the foundation, Patel has said in the June 30 letter to Shah.
Therefore, it would be proper if a CBI probe is ordered in this matter against Nath, Patel said.
Patel said when financial assistance of any kind from the Pakistani High Commission to any person or institute is considered as being used for terror-related activities, the same yardstick should be applied in context of China also as both the neighbours are creating problems at India's borders.
Reacting to Patels demand, state Congress spokesman and media coordinator of Nath, Narendra Singh Saluja, termed the letter as misleading" and an attempt to "fool people".
If they have any proof against Nath, they should come forward and get it probed from the CBI.
It is just a gimmick to mislead and fool people, Saluja said.
Asked by reporters about the ongoing politics over the Tiger abhi zinda hai remark by BJP MP and former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, Patel described himself as Satpuda tiger and Maa Narmadas son".