NEW DELHI: A war of words erupted today after the EC order that there was no poll code violation by Haryana Government in clearing the land deal involving Robert Vadra with Congress demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP slamming its government in the state.
The BJP sought to keep the Vadra land issue alive ahead of Haryana Assembly elections on October 15 as it charged the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government with not presenting full facts of the case before Election Commission, a day after the poll panel rejected its complaint against the state government on the land deal.
Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma alleged that Modi was "embarrassing" the position of the Prime Minister by repeatedly making "false allegations" and he should stop doing it.
"BJP has egg on its face after the EC's order. Narendra Modi, being the Prime Minister of the country, gave a very irresponsible statement and made allegations against Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda," Sharma told reporters.
Maintaining that it "belittles" the high post if somebody in the seat of Prime Minister keeps making false allegations, the Congress spokesperson said, "Modi should apologise to Haryana Chief Minister."
Alleging that Modi continues with his "shoot and scoot policy" as he was doing as an Opposition leader, Sharma said, "it does not behove a Prime Minister to be caught repeatedly making false statements...It is a matter of concern if the Prime Minister of India has this mentality".
Prime Minister Modi had on Monday asked EC to take a serious note of Hooda government clearing the land deal between Vadra and DLF, alleging it was done hastily as ruling Congress faced "certain defeat" in the Assembly polls.
The BJP charged the Haryana government with "speaking in two voices" in the case and hiding full facts in their haste to grant all approvals to Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law before the announcement of results on October 19.
"I am constrained to observe that in view of the highly suspicious circumstances a very legitimate conclusion can be drawn that all the facts perhaps they have not disclosed to the Election Commission after BJP made a complaint," BJP leader and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters.
"Haryana government knew that they are losing out and that is why they tried to validate this land deal. But truth has a very uncanny habit fo appearing and reappearing, at times with conclusive evidence," he said while reading out letters of Haryana Financial Commissioner to EC and that of Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner on July 16, and charged Haryana government of "speaking in two voices" on ownership of Vadra's land.
BJP had petitioned the EC alleging that there was violation of the Model Code of Conduct by Haryana government in clearing the Vadra land deal.
Election Commission yesterday ruled that there appears to be no violation of the poll code by Haryana government.