BJP seeks Sisodia's response on Rs 1.5 crore education loan from private persons, AAP hits back

New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) The BJP on Saturday sought senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia's reply over a Rs 1.5 crore education loan from some private individuals.

The loan was for Sisodia's son foreign education, it alleged.

Hitting back at the saffron party, AAP questioned the BJP about the assets of its New Delhi candidate Parvesh Verma.

"When Manish Sisodia took a loan for his son's education, it sparked havoc in the BJP, while Parvesh Verma declares liabilities of Rs 63 crore, including Rs 55 crore as personal loan, and the party doesn't bat an eye," AAP said in a statement.

Citing Sisodia's election affidavit, the BJP's Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva said at a press conference that three individuals contributed to the Rs 1.5 crore education loan received by the former deputy chief minister.

The BJP will approach the agencies for a probe into the loan received by Sisodia, he added.

Sisodia is AAP's candidate from the Jangpura seat for the February 5 assembly elections.

It is fine for anyone to take a loan for their children's education but Sisodia should clarify why he did not take the loan from a bank or a financial institution, Sachdeva said.

He also asked who the individuals who gave him the money were.

"The loan of Rs 1.5 crore was pooled by three individuals. They gave Rs 86 lakh, Rs 58 lakh and Rs 10 lakh as loans to Sisodia. Who were those people?" Sachdeva asked.

The figures in Sisodia's affidavit, much like any middle-class family, appear normal, he said.

"However, when we analyse the education loan amount attributed to him, it seems to indicate potential manipulation. Three acquaintances of Sisodia gave him a whopping Rs 1.5 crore and this happened during the liquor policy era, which is unusual," he asserted.

Sisodia was excise minister when the Excise Policy 2021-22 generated a huge controversy over alleged corruption. The alleged scam investigated by the the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also led to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, Sisodia and party MP Sanjay Singh spending long periods in jail.

"The people of Delhi want to know the identities of the three friends -- Romesh Chand Mittal, Deepali, and Gunit Arora -- who gave Sisodia Rs 86 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, and Rs 58 lakh, respectively, as education loan during the liquor policy period," Sachdeva demanded.

AAP, on the other hand, demanded that the BJP reveal the source of the "massive surge" in Verma's wealth, and accused the saffron party of "hypocrisy".

Verma is the BJP's candidate against former Delhi chief minister Kejriwal.

The BJP has no agenda, no vision and no leadership in Delhi. Its election campaign revolves around attacking and hurling abuses at party leaders, AAP charged. PTI VIT SZM SZM