Finance Minister should take tips from Robert Vadra: BJP's attack in 10 points

"We have many good business schools in the world as well as in India, which teach private businessmen how to earn crores. But in our country we have a very well-connected person who hasn't gone to B-school but has made crores", said Yashwant Sinha, a top BJP leader, in the Lok Sabha.

Later, Mr Sinha told reporters acerbically that the Finance Minister should take business tips from Mr Vadra. He also said that he will demand an investigation monitored by the Supreme Court into Mr Vadra's different business interests.

The BJP's decision to target Mr Vadra, 44, to embarrass Mrs Gandhi was discussed at a meeting this morning of its top body, its parliamentary board.

At an all-party meeting convened by the government today, BJP's Sushma Swaraj said that all members must be allowed to raise the Vadra issue in Parliament. CPI's Gurudas Dasgupta said the "government should not be sensitive to any name."

The Congress has argued  that since he is not a member of parliament, Mr Vadra cannot defend himself against allegations there, and the discussion is therefore unfair. Rejecting that rationale, the BJP allegedly said the Finance Minister should furnish any clarifications on the Congress president's behalf.

Congress's Manish Tiwari said they will not allow a discussion on Mr Vadra since there was "no question of having a discussion on a private individual in the House."

The Congress has also tried to shore up support from its allies to combat the onslaught. UP powerhouse Mayawati showed she is a reliable friend by carefully stating that while the Congress should answer the questions around Mr Vadra, his mother-in-law cannot be held responsible even if graft is proven. Mayawati's BSP does not participate in the union government, but lends crucial external support along with Mulayam Singh Yadav and his Samjawadi Party.

The scandal around Mr Vadra is centered on his land deals in Haryana, where the Congress has been in power since 2005. The allegation by the Opposition - and a senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka - is that the Haryana government circumvented key rules and allowed sweetheart deals for Mr Vadra, guaranteeing him windfall gains.

Mr Khemka was transferred three days after he cancelled an 3.5-acre deal for 58 crores in Haryana in October last year. In a report filed in May, detailing his allegations, he has said the deal was mired in irregularities including false cheques and forged documents.He has also asked for a wider investigation into how the Haryana government appropriated land from farmers and then sold it for significant commercial gain, in violation of guidelines.

The Haryana government has repeatedly said that Mr Vadra's transactions are above board and that he was given no preferential treatment on account of his relationship with the Congress president.