Parliament is literally afire and this time it is the BJP which is on the offensive. The fuel for the fire came in the form of Italian court documents which named Sonia Gandhi as the driving force behind the Augusta Westland VVIP chopper deal. Gandhi put up a spirited defence and demanded a thorough and impartial investigation. She claimed that she was afraid on no one because she has done no wrong. Proof and evidence are essential for nailing an accused.
In politics though, it is always about perception. Allegations of bribe-taking and bribe-giving made by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley were aimed at Gandhi and breaking the perception that the Gandhi family is above reproach. The BJP understands that the Congress is personality based and the only way to cut it down to size is by flinging dirt at the person in charge. It’s a time tested technique. Sometimes the dirt sticks and sometimes it doesn’t. An investigation is already underway and every piece of evidence emerging from Italy is going to hurt the Congress where it hurts.
