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Former Samata party chief Jaya Jaitly claims Sonia shielded Tehelka financiers

Published

8 years ago

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Jaya-Jaitly

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Jaitly , a close aide of former defence minister George Fernandes makes a slew of allegations against Sonia Gandhi, other Congress leaders in her memoirs

Former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitly has accused the Congress of having a hand in the Tehelka sting ‘Operation West End’, which led to then defence minister George Fernandes’ resignation from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government. In her autobiography, released on Tuesday, Jaitly – a close aide of Fernandes – has also alleged that when the UPA government came to power, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had asked then finance minister P Chidambram to ensure that Tehelka’s alleged financiers are not treated in an “unfair” or “unjust” manner.

Jaitly has made these claims in her memoir, ‘Life Among the Scorpions: Memoirs of an Indian Woman in Public Life’. The book hints at the links between Sonia Gandhi and the Tehelka news portal, particularly in the Tehelka sting ‘Operation West End’.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The sting operation had created a huge scandal during the Vajpayee regime through its visuals that showed then BJP national president Bangaru Laxman, Jaya Jaitly and several other high ranking defence ministry officials and Army personnel accepting bribes from reporters posing as representatives of a (fictitious) London-based arms manufacturing company called West End. The sting operation had catapulted Tehelka magazine into international prominence while it effectively ended the political careers of George Fernandes, Bangaru Laxman and Jaya Jaitly. Tehelka was then run by veteran journalist Tarun Tejpal who is now facing trial in a rape case.

The memoirs of Jaitly revisit the Operation West End controversy, her alleged role (or innocence) in the bribery scandal, pin the blame on the Congress for covertly arranging the sting and in later years following the Congress-led UPA coalition coming to power, the alleged role of Congress president Sonia Gandhi in helping Tehelka financiers get away from a probe into allegations of their financial impropriety.

“I included the letter in my book to show the truth behind accusations against me that I met with wrong people and assured them of my help in exchange for money. The wrong people were fake. Neither did I give them any assurances, nor asked and received any money. I have been going to court for nine years for the wrong allegations (sic),” Jaitly told news agency ANI while responding to queries on the supposed revelations she has made against Sonia Gandhi.

Jaitly’s accusations have given BJP leader and known Sonia-basher Subramanian Swamy another chance to hit out at the Congress president and seek investigations against her.

Swamy has urged the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to register a case against the Congress president on the basis of letters revealed by the former Samata Party president in her book.

“CBI can register a case in the preventional corruption act because she(Sonia Gandhi) wrote the letter under the official title of the chairman of the National Advisory Council and ED can file a case of money laundering. Both Chidambaram and Manmohan Singh are equally culpable because they had assisted in the commission of the crime,” Swamy told mediapersons.

Swamy claimed that he had released a similar letter two years ago, but nobody took it seriously at that time.

Jaitly referred to the ongoing nine-year-long corruption case against her, wherein the CBI filed a charge sheet alleging that she had accepted a bribe of Rs 2 lakh in 2001 (as shown in the Tehelka sting). She was alleged to have accepted the money in exchange for persuading former defence minister George Fernandes to award the contract of hand-held thermal imagers to the fictitious company West End International.

There are, in total, three letters enclosed in Jaitly’s book – a letter by Tehelka directors and a letter by Tehelka Financiers – First Global addressed to Sonia Gandhi and the third letter from Sonia Gandhi to then finance minister P Chidambaram on behalf of Tehelka and its financiers. The book further hints that Sonia tried to convince Chidambaram to shield the Tehelka financiers.

“I positioned the letter in such a way to show that a letter was written to someone who is even above the prime minister, who then wrote to the finance minister relating their problem, and immediately the problem was solved. This is the reality unlike the allegations against me which are fake,” Jaitly said, and added, “to save a person, who paid Tehelka to conduct a sting operation, there must be some connection.”

The letter by Sonia was written merely months after the UPA formed the government, with Dr Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister.

“Without having any official post in the government, Sonia Gandhi writing letter to the finance minister shows how much power she held,” Jaitly said, adding: “Unlike the usual delay in official matters, an action was taken within five days. They were so energetic. Was this the only work they had after coming in the Centre?”

Meanwhile, Congress leader Manish Tewari reacted to the entire controversy and said ‘Tehelka’ was targeted by the NDA-BJP government for exposing the dirty dealings of their associates.

“In 2001, a news portal called Tehelka carried out a sting, in which they exposed the dirty dealings of a number of eminences associated with the NDA-BJP government, including the then BJP President Bangaru Laxman. He was caught on candid camera taking money for allegedly doing favours in a defence deal. Subsequently, the NDA-BJP government came down like a tonne of bricks on that news portal,” Tewari claimed.

“It was the classical case of shooting the messenger rather than listening to the message. Exactly in the manner in which today the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Income-Tax department is being abused by this government against its political opponents. In fact, a commissioner inquiry was constituted that got nowhere and on the other hand, a news organisation which had done its legitimate duty was hounded to the ground. Under those circumstances, an intervention with the right intent for the freedom of speech and expression was done at that point of time to ensure that vendetta and witch hunt comes to an end,” Tewari said.

Meanwhile, Chidambaram has said that he does recall making a noting on the letter by Sonia but without disclosing its contents, the former finance minister instead has asked the media to seek copies of the said letter from the government, claiming that once his response is read along with the letter by Sonia that Jaitly has produced in her memoirs, the truth behind the Samata Party chief’s allegations will be exposed.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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AAP targets Delhi LG with Ghajini dig over pollution row, BJP hits back

AAP’s ‘Ghajini’ dig at Delhi LG over air pollution has drawn a sharp response from the BJP, escalating the political blame game as the capital’s AQI remains poor.

Published

12 hours ago

on

December 26, 2025

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The political sparring over Delhi’s air pollution intensified after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took a swipe at Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena using a film reference, prompting a sharp rebuttal from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The exchange comes at a time when air quality in the national capital has shown marginal improvement but continues to remain in the “poor” category.

The trigger for the latest round of accusations was a letter written by LG Saxena to AAP’s national convener and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. In the letter, the LG claimed that when he had raised concerns about pollution during Kejriwal’s tenure as chief minister, the issue was played down. According to Saxena, Kejriwal had remarked that pollution becomes a topic of discussion only for a few days every year before fading from public attention.

AAP’s ‘Ghajini’ poster attack

Reacting to the letter, AAP accused the LG of shifting responsibility instead of addressing the ongoing pollution crisis. The party shared an edited image on X, portraying Saxena as the lead character from the film Ghajini, a role associated with short-term memory loss.

In the post, AAP alleged that the LG was ignoring the fact that the BJP is currently in power in Delhi and therefore accountable for managing the pollution situation. The caption accompanying the image read, “L – Low Quality; G – Ghajini,” while the poster claimed that the LG had “become Ghajini.” The visual also carried text suggesting blame being repeatedly placed on Arvind Kejriwal for rising AQI levels.

BJP’s response and counter-accusation

The BJP responded strongly to AAP’s jibe, asserting that while the present government is addressing pollution, responsibility for long-term damage cannot be ignored. Speaking to media, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said the party is answerable for current conditions but questioned whether it should also be held accountable for what he termed the failures of the previous AAP government over the past 12 years.

Sachdeva echoed the claims mentioned in the LG’s letter, stating that concerns over pollution were earlier dismissed as seasonal issues. He further argued that air pollution is a year-round problem and accused AAP of attempting to shift the entire burden onto a government that has been in office for only the past several months.

Referring to the ‘Ghajini’ poster, the BJP leader said that if forgetfulness was the theme, AAP should have used Kejriwal’s image instead, alleging that the former chief minister had distanced himself from his responsibilities after electoral setbacks. He added that the current administration would require time to correct what he described as mistakes made during the previous government’s tenure.

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Traffic slows in Himachal Pradesh as year-end tourist rush chokes roads to Shimla, Manali

Heavy tourist inflow during the Christmas-New Year period has slowed traffic in Himachal Pradesh, with Shimla, Manali and Dharamshala witnessing long vehicle queues.

Published

13 hours ago

on

December 26, 2025

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Shimla traffic

Traffic movement across key hill destinations in Himachal Pradesh slowed to a crawl as a heavy influx of tourists marked the year-end holiday season. Long weekends around Christmas and New Year prompted travellers, particularly from Delhi-NCR, to head towards Shimla, Manali and Dharamshala, leading to long queues of vehicles on mountain roads.

A major attraction this season is the nine-day Winter Carnival being held at the historic Ridge Ground in Shimla. The event has drawn visitors from different parts of the country, with many attending it for the first time. Tourists described the carnival as lively and enjoyable, especially for families visiting during Christmas week.

Some visitors said the festive atmosphere exceeded their expectations, while others felt the absence of snowfall slightly dampened the experience. Tourists from states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Mizoram shared that snowfall during Christmas would have added to the overall charm of the hill station.

Heavy inflow of vehicles, police step up arrangements

Apart from Shimla, popular destinations such as Kullu-Manali and Dharamshala are also witnessing a steady rise in tourist numbers. Gramphu has emerged as the only snow spot currently accessible to non-4×4 vehicles, adding to the pressure on limited routes.

Police officials estimate that between 8,000 and 10,000 vehicles are entering Shimla daily during the Christmas-to-New Year period. Over the next seven days, more than three lakh tourists are expected to visit the state capital alone.

To manage traffic and ensure safety, around 400 police personnel have been deployed across sensitive and high-footfall areas. The Shimla police administration has appealed to tourists to follow traffic rules and cooperate with authorities. Officials said preparations have been made for crowd management, security checks and traffic regulation at major junctions, as congestion continues to build across the hill town.

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BJP gets its first mayor in Kerala as VV Rajesh takes charge in Thiruvananthapuram

The BJP has created history in Kerala after VV Rajesh was sworn in as Thiruvananthapuram’s first mayor from the party, ending decades of CPM control over the civic body.

Published

14 hours ago

on

December 26, 2025

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BJP

The BJP on Friday marked a historic political moment in Kerala after VV Rajesh was sworn in as the mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation. This is the first time the party has secured the mayor’s post in the state capital, signalling a significant shift in Kerala’s urban political landscape.

Rajesh’s election follows the party’s unexpected performance in the municipal elections held earlier this month, where the BJP emerged as the single-largest party by winning 50 of the 101 seats in the civic body.

Rajesh promises inclusive development across all wards

After taking oath, VV Rajesh said the focus of the new leadership would be on collective growth and inclusive governance. He stated that development work would be carried out across all 101 wards, with the aim of transforming Thiruvananthapuram into a developed city.

Rajesh secured 51 votes in the mayoral election conducted in the 100-member House, crossing the halfway mark. The CPM candidate RP Shivaji received 29 votes, while the Congress-led UDF nominee KS Sabarinathan got 19 votes. One independent councillor abstained, while support from another independent councillor proved crucial for the BJP’s victory.

Breakthrough comes ahead of key state election

The development comes less than six months before a major election in Kerala, a state where the BJP has historically struggled. The party has never formed a government in the state and has had limited legislative presence in the past.

The mayoral win also ends decades of control by the CPM over the Thiruvananthapuram civic body. The state capital is also a Lok Sabha constituency currently represented by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

BJP leadership targets governance overhaul

Following the swearing-in ceremony, Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar criticised the previous administration, alleging long-standing governance failures and corruption in the civic body. He said basic civic issues such as drainage, water supply and solid waste management had been neglected for years, and asserted that the new administration would begin work immediately to improve the city’s infrastructure.

The party has set a target of making Thiruvananthapuram one of the top cities in the country, according to Chandrasekhar.

Internal debate preceded mayoral choice

The selection of VV Rajesh as mayor followed internal discussions within the BJP. The party was reportedly divided between Rajesh and former Director General of Police R Sreelekha before consensus emerged in Rajesh’s favour. Sreelekha, who won from the Sasthamangalam ward, is known for her earlier role handling economic offence cases.

Union minister Suresh Gopi and Rajeev Chandrasekhar were present during Rajesh’s oath-taking ceremony.

Wider impact on Kerala’s political landscape

Overall results in the local body elections have posed challenges for the ruling Left Democratic Front, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front secured control of four out of six municipal bodies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi later described the BJP’s Thiruvananthapuram win as a “watershed moment,” crediting party workers for the breakthrough.

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