Date:20/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/20/stories/2008122055791200.htm

National

BJP questions Amar Singh’s donation

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday questioned the source of funds for the around $ 1million donation given by Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh to the Bill Clinton Foundation.

Party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad pointed out that in the now published list of donors to the Foundation, Mr. Singh’s name figured among those who contributed between $ 1 and 5 million.

Mr. Prasad posed a number of questions: “Even if we take the lowest figure of $ 1million, it works out to about Rs.5 crores. What is the source of these funds? Has this money been accounted for in Mr. Singh’s income tax returns? Was the necessary permission taken from Reserve Bank of India?”

He said a number of “twists and turns” were seen in the disproportionate assets case against SP president Mulayam Singh. He wondered whether Mr. Singh or the government would come forward and clarify the source of funds of Mr. Singh’s contribution.