Congress hits back at Chautala, Surjewala says allegations against Rahul ‘malicious’

The Haryana government that mostly remained silent on major issues, reacted sharply to Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Om Prakash Chautala's allegation that Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi paid less stamp duty. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala, while speaking on behalf of the government, termed Chautala's allegations as completely false, motivated and malicious.

Chautala had alleged non-payment of appropriate stamp duty on purchase of nearly 6.5 acres of land situated in Hassanpur village, Palwal, by Rahul. INLD secretary general Ajay Chautala too dared the Congress to order an inquiry by a serving Supreme Court judge, if the party felt it was clean.

"Chautala has led his entire political career on falsehood, misconceptions, and by hoodwinking people. He and both his sons are facing serious charges of corruption in a disproportionate assets case and fudging the JBT teachers' recruitment process. Apart from the charges of corruption, he suffered two successive defeats in the 2005 and 2009 Assembly elections, and lost all the 10 seats in the 2004 and 2009 Parliamentary elections. Still he had the nerve to level such reckless allegations to find political space that was denied to him by the people of Haryana," said a furious Surjewala.

Surjewala clarified that on March 3, 2008, Rahul purchased 51 Kanal-13 Marlas (6.456 acre) of 'SAILAB' land for Rs 26,47,000, which is equivalent to Rs 4,10,006 per acre. As per a letter dated July 13, 2007, issued by the then collector, collector rate for `SHAILAB' land was Rs 1.50 lakh per acre. The collector rate continued to exist till April 11, 2008. Rahul had paid stamp duty of 6 per cent amounting to Rs 1,58,820 on the purchase price of Rs 26,47,000 at Rs 4,10,006 per acre, which is over 2.7 times the prevailing collector rate. In the light of these facts Surjewala demanded an apology from Chautala.

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