From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Oct 17: Taking the fight against ruling BJP at the Centre and targeting BJP National President Amit Shah over the business dealings of the firm owned by Jay Shah, the son of the national BJP Chief, AICC Chief Spokesman Randeep Singh Surjeevala, MLA, demanded a high-level probe by two sitting Supreme Court judges.

The Congress leader urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP to ask their National President to resign forthwith or remove him in order to ensure a free and fair investigation.

"To conduct an independent and credible investigation, a commission comprising of two senior most Supreme Court judges be appointed and it should be asked to submit a report within a time bound period," Surjeevala said.

The BJP should follow the example set by their own tallest leader L K Advani, former Deputy Prime Minister, and former National President Bangaru Lakshman or Nitian Gadkari, all of whom had resigned after serious allegations were levelled against them, he said.

Surjeevala alleged that the business of "Temple Enterprise Private Ltd," a company owned by Jay Shah has increased 16,000 times in one year and asked: "What is this the ‘magic wand’ by which the company earning a surplus of mere Rs 18.8 lakh in 10 years from 2004-14 and making a loss in two successive years (2012-2014) proceeds to increase its turnover 16,000 times within a year of formation of BJP government."

Speaking to media at the KPCC Congress Bhavan in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Surjeevala said the "national interest and the people of the country demand a through and independent investigation into the truth of all the facts."

Noting that this was a moment of reckoning for the Prime Minister, the Congress leader said "whether the PM will stand on the side of "friendship" and "party politics" or whether he will stand with truth, accountability and morality? Entire country is watching it."

The Congress leader reminded Shah that previous BJP presidents such as L K Advani, Bangaru Laxman and Nitin Gadkari had all resigned when allegations had surfaced against them.

Whether it was correct that in view of the nation-wide outrage as also pressure, even the RSS had demanded an investigation into all the accusations against Jai Shah.

"Whether Modi and Amit Shah will accept the challenge," the Congress leader asked.