At a press conference in New Delhi, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy shared copies of the company’s annual returns, in which Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s identity is certified as British. – The Hindu
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday alleged that Rahul Gandhi had declared himself as a British citizen before the authorities in the United Kingdom (UK) and demanded that the Congress vice-president be stripped of his Indian citizenship, as well as his Lok Sabha membership.
Addressing the media, Swamy said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 12 about Rahul’s secret British citizenship and the details of his company in London. “There will be action. As per Article 9 of the Indian Constitution, an Indian citizen can’t hold the citizenship of any other country, and he will lose Indian citizenship automatically as and when he acquires another citizenship. I will also write to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking expulsion of Rahul Gandhi from Parliament,” Swamy maintained.
“I am enclosing with this letter some authenticated documents regarding the registration in 2003 and dissolution in 2009 of a private limited company in the UK with an address located in London. The name of the company is Backops Limited and the director and secretary of this company was Rahul Gandhi [reference states NATIONALITY UNKNOWN].
“As you can see from the company’s annual returns, Rahul Gandhi has given his date of birth correctly but has declared himself to be a British national with an UK address,” said Swamy in his letter to Modi. Swami released a copy of the letter to the Prime Minister and a set of documents running into 13-pages, supporting his claims, to the media.
Rahul had 65 per cent shares in the company and his co-director Ulrik McKnight, a US citizen, had 35 per cent shares. McKnight is the son-in-law of former Union Minister Eduardo Faleiro.
Swamy also alleged that Rahul has an illegal undeclared account in Pictet Bank and was taken into custody on September 24, 2001 by US authorities at Logan Airport for carrying $1,60,000 in cash.
To questions on his future action, Swamy said he hopes the Government will take action on his complaint. “Why should I go to court? During the National Herald expose, the UPA was in power and so I went to court. Now it is our Government and it will take action,” he said.
In the documents produced by Swamy, Rahul had shown two London addresses in the company registry. The first address in London was 2 Frognal Way, NW3 6XE. The other address was 51 Southgate Street, Winchester, SO23, 9EH.
Stung by Swamy’s revelations, after three hours, the Congress came out with the incorporation documents of Rahul’s till-date hidden British company Backops Limited. The document shows him as an Indian citizen.
Reacting to the Congress’ counter, Swamy tweeted that the Congress’ statement was “stupid”. He said, the Congress statement says Rahul had stated in 2003 that he was an Indian citizen but why not in 2005, 2006 and 2009? He asked the Congress to show the entire records of the British company and who owns the house in Frognal area.
Cong rejects allegation as dirty tricks
Hitting back at Subramanian Swamy’s allegation that Rahul Gandhi was a British citizen, the Congress later came out with a detailed counter asserting its vice-president Rahul Gandhi has been an Indian citizen right from his birth and has never held the citizenship of any other country.
The Congress released the company’s incorporation document showing Rahul as an Indian citizen. However, the party did not come out with a clarification on the other documents of the company (from 2005 to 2009) where Rahul declared himself a British citizen.
In a one-page press release issued after a meeting, attended by Ahmed Patel and others at Rahul Gandhi’s residence at Tuglak Lane, the Congress termed the allegations as a “petty, mindless activity of the BJP and its dirty tricks department headed by Swamy” to save face after the humiliating Bihar election defeat.
“From the day he was born, Rahul Gandhi has held Indian citizenship and Indian passport and has never held citizenship of any other country nor has he represented as such. The allegation of Swamy is entirely false. The Certificate of Incorporation of the said company is enclosed and clearly mentions Rahul Gandhi as an Indian national.
“Rahul Gandhi has never held any account in Pictet Bank nor has he ever been questioned or detained at Logon Airport with undeclared cash. This is a complete falsehood that Swamy is in the habit of falsely repeating for decades for his malicious political motives and to gain cheap publicity,” said AICC’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala in a statement.
“Frustrated by their humiliating defeat in Bihar elections and internal revolt brewing amongst the senior-most leadership, the BJP’s dirty tricks department led by Subramanian Swamy is resorting to petty mindless mud-slinging. The sole purpose appears to be to divert attention from inner revolt and paralysis of policy and governance being questioned all around including the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said the statement.
Earlier, shortly after Swamy’s Press conference Congress leader Ajay Maken had sought to dismiss the allegations as his publicity stunt. “Swamy is having the habit of mudslinging. He is now sidelined in the BJP. So he does all these type of activities to stay in limelight,” he said. – The Pioneer, 17 November 2015
- For the documentation attached to Dr Swamy’s letter, go to the VSH website HERE
See also
- Want to be CEO of Rahul Gandhi’s firm?
- Rahul Gandhi’s business partner running for cover!
- Dr Swamy’s statement on Backops Services Private Ltd. (2012)
Filed under: india, UK | Tagged: company, congress party, INC, india, indian politicians, nationality, pictet & cie bank, rahul gandhi, subramanian swamy, UK | 3 Comments »
