The BJP and the Congress on Friday targeted each other over their alleged connections with China and its firms, with the ruling party president J P Nadda seizing on Supreme Court's observations on a matter to launch a fresh attack on the opposition party's leadership.
While refusing to hear a PIL that had sought a probe into an 2008 agreement between the Congress and the Communist Party of China, the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde expressed its surprise at the issue, saying "within our limited experience, we have never heard of it that a political party is making an agreement with other country."
Latching onto it, Nadda sought explanation from Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi.
"Even the SC is surprised at the MoU signed by the Congress party with the Chinese Gov...Mrs Gandhi & her son, who led the signing, must explain. Does this explain donations to RGF and opening Indian market for the Chinese in return, which affected Indian businesses," Nadda asked in a tweet.
Hitting back, the Congress alleged that the BJP used Chinese companies during elections that may have compromised user data and asked the ruling party as to what was its compulsion for doing so.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a briefing, "When explosive information of the ruling BJP having partnered with those Chinese companies, which have now been banned by the Union government for their links with the Chinese establishment, comes in public domain, the country is forced to start seeking answers of your silence in such information."
"What was the compulsion of involving the same company for elections which you had red flagged two years ago," he also asked.
Attacking the government over the ongoing border row with China, he claimed that attempts were made by the government to "intimidate" those who question the prime minister.
"Why did you compromise the data security and privacy of crores of Indians by involving Chinese companies linked to the People's Liberation Army," the Congress leader asked.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed in remarks to media that the apex court's observations have "validated and vindicated" his party's concerns on the agreement between the Congress and China's ruling party.
He alleged that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are "conspirators in chief".
"We dare them. If their conscience is clear, they should come out and take questions. If they have something to hide, they will not speak," he alleged.
"The country is surprised. The Supreme Court is surprised. The Congress has still not answered," he said.
A few weeks ago, the BJP led by Nadda had launched an attack on the opposition party over the agreement and also raked up the issue of alleged donations to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation from the Chinese embassy.
The Congress had then accused the ruling party of adopting "diversionary" tactics to deflect people's attention from its "mishandling" of economy and the coronavirus crisis.
