With media reports alleging dubious funding for companies run by BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, Government today said it will inquire into the issue, a stand BJP attacked as being "selective". Corporate Affairs Minister M Veerappa Moily said after the information on alleged funding of companies with which Gadkari is associated has come to public domain, the Registrars of Companies will "definitely inquire into it".
 
Moily said, "We have not ordered anything. It is all coming in the newspapers. Since it has come in public domain, we told our ministry to make some discreet inquiry to find out what exactly is the matter. Are there any violations of Companies Act." When asked by reporters whether the business dealings of Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will also be scrutinised, he said the two issues were separate and there was no link between them.
 
Media reports have raised questions over the source of funds for Purti Power and Sugar Ltd controlled by Gadkari. Media investigations claim that major investments and large loans to Purti were made by a construction firm Ideal Road Builders (IRB) group, which had won contracts between 1995 and 1999, when Gadkari was PWD minister in Maharashtra. Gadkari has denied the allegations and offered himself and his companies to any probe.
 
BJP said it endorses the stand of Gadkari that he was open to any investigation by any competent authority and accused the Union Ministers of taking a partisan position on issues relating to corruption.  "I don't think ministers should be selective about picking and choosing...ministers are taking a very prejudiced line on party basis. I think it would not become very much of his position to make such statements," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said reacting to Moily's statement that his ministry will inquire into the issue.
 
She also slammed Congress for calling cases of corruption against former Union Minister Virbhadra Singh as a "simple case of tax avoidance."It is certainly not that simple. It is an open and shut case of corruption. Therefore, any attempt to divert it from that is an attempt at cover up," she said. Attacking Virbhadra, BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the person facing allegations of corruption is leading
Congress in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh. "What message is Congress giving out to the people," he quipped. Asked about the allegations against Virbhadra Singh, Moily said, "I don't know about it".
 
Noting that the allegations against Gadkari are of a very serious nature, Congress spokesman Rashid Alvi said that the opposition party and its leadership should clarify about them.
 
In an obvious reference to Bangaru Lakshman, Alvi recalled that earlier one of the Presidents of the BJP has been convicted by the court.