By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 20 Mar: Congress candidate from Pauri, Ganesh Godiyal has been served with a notice by Income Tax Department. Reacting to the notice served to him, Godiyal claimed that the notice is intended to intimidate him but asserted that he was not the one to get nervous or scared because of this.
During a press conference held in Dehradun today. Godiyal claimed that BJP has become nervous after seeing the possible victory of Congress on Pauri parliamentary seat in the survey. He stated that the BJP had put pressure on the Income Tax Department to serve a notice to him. Godiyal said that the Income Tax Department informed him that he has been asked to appear in a police station in Maharashtra on 22 March. The Congress candidate said that he is a follower of Bhagat Singh and will strongly oppose such action of harassment.
Godiyal claimed that since he is contesting the elections against BJP’s Anil Baluni, such notices are being sent to him. He added that Anil Baluni holds clout in the BJP High Command . Adding that Baluni was a parachute candidate since he lives in Delhi, Godiyal claimed that the people are well aware of the fact that Baluni is an outsider and therefore they are supporting his (Godiyal’s) candidature. This has rattled the BJP candidate and his party and in order to intimidate him (Godiyal), a notice has been served to him.
Godiyal claimed that Baluni has remained silent in respect of Ankita Bhandari case and on issues like recruitment scam, Agniveer, land laws, Joshimath disaster and Gairsain but has now reached the state to contest elections. Godiyal said that the people of the hills know very well who stood by them in their happiness and sorrow.
In response to a question, Congress candidate Ganesh Godiyal said that although party MLA Rajendra Bhandari has joined BJP but the people of Chamoli region are standing with Congress. He said that the voters from the hills are wise and intelligent and they know that Bhandari has been pressurised to join the BJP.
IT notice served to Cong candidate Godiyal relates to old case: Manveer Chauhan
By Our Staff ReporterDehradun 20 Mar: BJP today termed Congress candidate Ganesh Godiyal‘s allegations of having been served a notice by Income Tax Department as a failed attempt to gain political sympathy. State media in-charge Manveer Chauhan claimed that all the cases in which the notice has been served had been registered during the then UPA government at the Center. During this time, Congress was ruling in the state too. Chauhan asserted that it was perhaps not the first time that Godiyal might have been served with a notice by Income Tax Department but probably had been served similar notice several times in the past. However, now he is making it an issue in an attempt to garner public sympathy.Chauhan termed Godiyal‘s allegations of harassment and attempt to intimidate as baseless and an attempt to spread confusion. He said that it is clear from the facts that when Income Tax or all other cases were registered, there was Manmohan Singh government at the Centre and there was a joint government of Congress in Maharashtra also. Therefore, BJP has nothing to do with the notice at all. Chauhan said that everyone knows that all the cases are going on in the court, hence receiving the notices is a part of the legal process. In such a situation, if Godiyal has not done anything wrong, why should he be under any pressure.
