Congress displays ‘BJP washing machine’ with 'Modi washing powder'

The Congress on Saturday (March 30) mocked the BJP by displaying a washing machine at a press conference to allege that corrupt politicians could wash themselves clean by simply joining the ruling party.

Commenting on the CBI filing a closure report in a 2017 corruption case against NCP leader Praful Patel after he joined the BJP, the Congress said the BJP's "fully automatic washing machine" works on the principle -- "join BJP, case closed".

Congress charge

The Congress raised the issue of leaders against whom corruption charges were dropped after they joined or aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Congress warned that it will "go after every single officer" of government agencies "who has willingly become a party to undermining our democracy and our Constitution".

Washing machine

The Congress press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi saw a "dirty T-shirt" with "corruption, fraud, scam" written on it going into a washing machine and a clean T-shirt with "BJP Modi wash" written on it coming out.

Congress leader Pawan Khera alleged that the "BJP machine costs over Rs 8,500 crore" – the money the ruling party got through electoral bonds – and it uses "Modi washing powder".

A leaflet on the "Modi washing powder" was also distributed at the press conference with the prime minister's picture and a tagline "saare daag chutkiyon mein dhule (All stains will be washed away in a jiffy).

Praful Patel

Khera said months after Patel joined the BJP alliance in Maharashtra by splitting the NCP, the CBI filed a closure report in a 2017 case of corruption which the BJP had raked up in 2014.

The Central Bureau of Investigation had alleged that in 2006 Patel, as the civil aviation minister, leased several aircraft for five years to Air India to benefit private players, Khera said.

The BJP had also earlier linked Patel with the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts accused Iqbal Mirchi, the Congress leader said.

Corrupt leaders

Khera said at least 21 political leaders had been whitewashed "clean" after the BJP made allegations of corruption and illegality against them.

They include, Khera said, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Narayan Rane, Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal and Ashok Chavan.

"Is the BJP 2014 charge sheet about Praful Patel and many others who were part of Congress-UPA true? Or was it only meant for mudslinging? Or to coerce opponents into supporting the BJP. Which scenario holds true for Modi-Shah?" Khera asked.

Officials warned

Khera asserted that the Congress has always maintained that all these "so-called scams" that the BJP spoke about were fake.

"All the so-called reports, that the so-called CAG Vinod Rai, who was a puppet in the hands of those in the current regime, prepared, were fake.

“But we will definitely go after every single officer of these agencies who has willingly become a party to undermining our democracy and our Constitution," he said.