BJP hits out at Cong on receiving Rs. 50 lakh donation by RGF from Zakir Naik’s NGO
NEW DELHI : The BJP on Saturday hit out at Congress on the issue of receiving a donation of Rs. 50 lakh by Rajiv Gandhi Foundation,RGF from Islamic Preacher Zakir Naik’s NGO- Islamic Research Foundation in 2011.
Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Union Minister and BJP leader, Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned whether any transparency was maintained by the Congress when the donation was made to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in which senior functionaries of the party are members.
Mr Prasad also sought to know whether the RGF is duly registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.Mr Prasad aslo said, that UPA government had replied in Parliament in 2012 that security agencies had identified 24 illegal foreign channels including Peace Tv owned by Zakir Naik’s NGO observing that contents of some of the channels are not conducive to the security environment of the country.
Mr Prasad asked the Congress why the donation was not returned at that time itself.Meanwhile, Congress on Saturday made it clear that Rajiv Gandhi Foundation had not used the donation received from Islamic Research Foundation and is not bound to investigation as per law.
Talking to media in New Delhi Saturday evening, party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the unsolicited donation was refunded over two months back as soon as they found that a donation has been accepted by Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust.
Mr Singhvi emphasised that the NGO run by Islamist preacher Zakir Naik was not under any suspicion at the time of giving the donation in 2011.He said NDA government must tell people that the NGO was not under any needle of suspicion at the time. The spokesperson said it is unfortunate that those in power are sensationalising matters.
