Cong flays Fernandes for attacking Sonia

New Delhi, Oct 11 (UNI) The Congress today termed as "wild, false and motivated" the allegation levelled by former Defence Minister and NDA convenor George Fernandes against Congress President Sonia Gandhi blaming her for an FIR filed against him by the CBI in a case relating to alleged pay offs in defence deals.

"Every time Mr Fernandes is pushed into a corner due to his own omissions and commissions,he makes it a point to viciously attack the Congress President,"Congress Spokesperson Jayanti Natrajan said..

"These attacks are unsubstantiated and highly vicious," she told reporters here, adding "if an FIR has been filed against him( Mr Fernandes) he should furnish facts to defend himself instead of making a vitriolic attack on the Congress President." It only betrayed a mindset in which a person reacted to every charge in a manner Mr Fernandes had reacted, she said and condemned the allegation made by the former Defence Minister against Mrs Gandhi holding her sqarely responsible for the CBI action against him.

Ms Natrajan said particularly condemnable about Mr Fernandes' allegation was the kind of language used by him against Mrs Gandhi who occupied the high offices of Congress President, Chairperson of the UPA and membership of Parliament." Such personal attacks are highly unwarranted and unhealthy in democracy." Strongly condemning the observations made Mr Fernandes against President A P J Abdul Kalam, she said "one can expect no better from a person who, when faced with charges, stoops to the level of bringing the high office of President into controversy." Replying to a question, Ms Natrajan said the consistent stand of the Congress regarding the defence deals made under the former Defence Minister was that these defence purchases were scandalous and had posed a threat to the security of the country.

UNI YS/SH RP PM1736