New Delhi, June 27 The Congress was indulging in semantics when it put out a counter to allegations of fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi having made donations to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF).
On the Mehul Choksi donation, the Congress clarification was, "No amount has been received as donation from Shri Mehul Choksi personally as has been falsely alleged. Nor has any loan ever been given by RGF to him."
Here the operative part is the word, "personally" used in the Congress counter. The facts are that it was not claimed that the amount or donation was given by "Shri Mehul Choksi personally".
Choksi, who was running a large empire in 2013 is unlikely to make a personal donation, like other businessmen. Industrialists make donations via corporate entities whether it is companies or trusts.
But after having denied that no amount was received from Choksi, in the very next sentence or minute, Congress party accepted that there indeed was a donation made by a company connected with Choksi.
"The records of RGF reflect receipt of a modest donation of Rs 10 lakh from Naviraj Estates Pvt. Ltd. (in the year 2013) of which Shri Choksi was one of the Directors," the Congress clarified.
The Congress clearly vindicated media reports that a Rs 10 lakh donation was made by Naviraj Estates Pvt. Ltd. of which Choksi is one of the two directors. As per records, there are only two directors in Naviraj Estates, of which Mehul Choksi is one of them. This is a private limited company with two directors.
( With inputs from IANS )