The Congress, on Thursday, raised the issue of liquor baron Vijay Mallya in the Rajya Sabha and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of having failed to detain him. Congress members led by Sonia Gandhi eventually walked out of the Lok Sabha over this issue.
My question is how did a man who stole Rs 9000 crore leave the country? Neither Narendra Modi nor Arun Jaitley gave an answer in the Parliament. They talk about bringing back black money, then how did they allow this?Rahul Gandhi, Congress Vice President
The issue was raised in the house by Leader of Oposition Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress, who said Mallya should not have been allowed to leave as there were serious charges against him.
He could have been identified even at the airport when he was leaving as he is a prominent figure and most people recognise him.Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha
Responding to the charges, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that Mallya was given loans when the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre.
On this, Azad said banks gave him loans and since he has cases against him now, he should not have been allowed to leave the country.
Read: Vijay Mallya Left India on 2 March, Attorney General Informs SC
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also said that the main point was not who gave him loans, it was that who allowed him to leave India.
The issue is not that who issued loans to him, the real issue is that why he was allowed to leave India.Jairam Ramesh, MP, Congress
Mallya, on Wednesday, was issued a notice by the Supreme Court on a plea by a consortium of 17 banks led by the State Bank of India, which sought his personal appearance before the court along with his passport.
(with IANS inputs)
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