'Fought Outside For Far Too Long': Robert Vadra Expresses Political Ambitions

In an indirect attack at the current dispensation, Vadra said that he was subjected to such treatment because he is related to a prominent political family.

Robert Vadra along with Priyanka Gandhi. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: After facing years of investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (IT) department over the alleged tax irregularities and Benami properties, Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra, on Thursday spoke about his desire to take a political plunge and said that he has to be in the Parliament to 'fight this kind of dynamics'. While speaking to news agency IANS, Vadra reiterated that he was being made a 'political pawn' as he belonged to the Gandhi family. In an indirect attack at the current dispensation, Vadra said that he was subjected to such treatment because he is related to a prominent political family. "I am related to a family that has for generations served the people of this country and have even been martyred for the country. I have seen, learnt, campaigned, spent time in different parts of the country and I suppose to fight this kind of dynamic I have to be in Parliament," he told the news agency. When asked about as to by when will he step into politics, Vadra said he will take the decision at an appropriate time. "When I see a place where people will vote me to represent them and I can make a difference for people in that area and if my family approves of it," he said. As of now, Vadra has been one of Congress party's prominent campaigners and on various instances appeared with his wife and party leader Priyanka Gandhi in rallies and meetings. Vadra has also campaigned in elections in Raebareli and Amethi. During his conversation with the news agency, Vadra insisted that he is fighting the political battle without being in politics and he was used each time as a "punching bag" whenever the government is in a bind. The development comes days after Vadra was questioned by the IT department in connection with its probe against him under the benami assets law. Vadra on Tuesday reiterated the allegations he had made the previous day -- that the aim of the action was to "digress" from the "real issues" being faced by the country and the farmers. Officials close to news agency PTI had said that the questioning was linked to the purchase of some land parcels by a firm linked to Vadra in Rajasthan's border town of Bikaner in which another central probe agency, the Enforcement Directorate, had filed a money laundering case in 2015. Vadra, 52, alleged that the action of the central probe agencies against him was "consistent" whenever there was an "issue around." The I-T department has also been probing Vadra on charges of alleged possession of some undisclosed assets in the UK. The ED too is investigating these charges, under the anti-money laundering law, against the businessman. The ED has accused Vadra of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property at 12, Bryanston Square worth 1.9 million GBP (British pounds), which is allegedly owned by him and this transaction involves the role of absconding defence consultant Sanjay Bhandari.