Manmohan Singh government was a 'cash and carry' regime: BJP

Dubbing the previous UPA government as 'cash and carry government', Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday sought a 'satisfactory' response from the Congress Party over the raids that have been conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at former finance minister P. Chidambaram and his son Karti's various residences.

Talking to ANI, BJP leader GVL Narsimha Rao said it time for the Congress Party to 'own up' to these omissions and commissions, adding that they cannot get away by giving political replies.

" Karti had been under scanner for a very long time. Because when his father was the Union finance minister, a large number of cases involving money laundering, involving some kind of favoritism and consideration received for FIPB clearances.these all were available..it shows that Manmohan Singh's government in which Mr. Chidambaram was the finance minister was a 'cash and carry' government. Where money was looted in every possible manner," Rao said.

He further said if there is anyone who has ever misused the CBI it was Chidambaram and his Congress government.

"Chidambaram has to give satisfactory reply not the typical political reply which we have been hearing from them. No one is going to believe their crocodile tears," he added.

Toeing similar views, Union Minister Ananth Kumar told ANI in Bengaluru that the agency is only doing its work and the 'target' is against black money and corruption.

With the Chidambaram residence being raided today in connection with the FIPB approval in several cases, the senior Congress leader lashed out at the Centre, accusing it of using national agencies to target his son.

"FIPB approval is granted in hundreds of cases. The five Secretaries who constitute the FIPB, the officials of the FIPB Secretariat and the competent authority in each case are the public officials. There is no allegation against any of them. There is no allegation against me," he said in a statement.

Asserting that every case was processed according to law, Chidambaram added that the approval was granted or refused in accordance with the recommendations of the FIBP consisting of five Secretaries to the Government of India.

"The government, using the CBI and other agencies, is targeting my son and his friends. The government's aim is to silence my voice and stop me from writing, as it has tried to do in the cases of leaders of Opposition parties, journalists, columnists, NGOs and civil society organizations. All I will say is, I shall continue to speak and write," the senior Congress leader added.

Meanwhile, the CBI is expected to raid Chidambaram's native place in Karaikudi also.

The raids are happening at around 14 different locations in Chennai and also in the national capital in connection with the criminal misconduct in grant of FIPB approval. (ANI)

"Only corruption and black money are being targeted. The agency is doing its work, allow them to do it," he added.

-ANI