NEW DELHI: The BJP on Wednesday hit out at the Congress over its plan to stage nationwide protests outside ED offices, following the Enforcement Directorate’s chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others in the National Herald case.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, said, “On behalf of the BJP, I wish to clarify at the very outset that though the Congress party has surely got powers and the right to offer dharnas, but it does not extend to misappropriating public property given by the government to National Herald.”
The Enforcement Directorate, on Tuesday, filed a prosecution complaint at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against top Congress leaders. The chargesheet names Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and others, including multiple firms.
Reacting to the move, BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan said, “Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, who are out on bail in the National Herald case, maybe above the Constitutional rules of the dynastic Congress party but not above Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution. The Congress leadership should realise that today is not Indira Gandhi’s Emergency; today is Modi’s fair and fearless Bharat, where everybody will be made answerable and accountable for their wrongdoings… Congress is trying to intimidate government agencies… This shows that they are trying to hide something… The Congress party is resisting the law of the land… They should know that truth triumphs, but falsehoods never triumph…”
The Congress, however, maintained that the ED action is politically motivated. Party leader Udit Raj said: “We want to go to the public as no one is bigger than the public. We want the people to understand that a fake chargesheet has been registered against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, which is completely baseless and illegal…”
Andhra Pradesh Congress chief YS Sharmila also criticised the BJP, alleging political vendetta: “Brusht Jumla Party is afraid of Congress. The BJP is unable to digest the rise of Congress in the country. That is why it is misusing investigative agencies like the CBI and ED as its personal tools. It is filing false cases against the opposition and trying to suppress the top leadership. It is conspiring to silence dissenting voices.”
“We strongly condemn the ED filing a chargesheet against Congress senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and @RahulGandhi and the move to seize National Herald properties. Alleging money laundering in a case where there is no money involved is absolutely outrageous.”
“This is nothing short of a murder of democracy… The Congress Party will not remain silent or passive in the face of your harassment and wrongdoing. It’s not about the BJP filing a chargesheet against Congress—the time is near when the people of India will file a chargesheet against the BJP. People have now realized how the country is being looted for the benefit of people like Adani.”
The case was originally filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and is being heard in a Delhi court. The matter has been listed for arguments on cognisance on April 25.
