Congress slams BJP over National Herald case, criticises 'bag politics'
text_fields
New Delhi: The Congress party on Tuesday sharply criticized the BJP over the renewed political attack in the National Herald case, calling the allegations "baseless and politically motivated" while questioning the timing of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) charge sheet, filed after 11 years.
The ED's prosecution complaint, filed on April 9, targets former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and several others, accusing them of money laundering linked to proceeds of crime worth Rs 5,000 crore, setting the stage for potential criminal charges and a trial. The special MP/MLA court in Delhi has set April 25 as the next hearing date to determine whether to take cognizance of the charge sheet.
Congress National Spokesperson Supriya Shrinate dismissed the charge sheet as "fake" and accused the Modi government of weaponizing investigative agencies for political revenge. Speaking to IANS, Shrinate stated, "The entire case of National Herald is based on fake and baseless claims. The ED charge sheet alleges money laundering where not a single penny was transacted, no ownership was transferred."
Elaborating on the case, Shrinate explained that the Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which used to publish the National Herald, incurred a loan that the Congress party later settled with a Rs 90 crore loan through 100 bank transactions and cheques. She clarified that the debt was converted into equity, and a new non-profit company, Young Indian, was formed, with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Oscar Fernandes, and Motilal Vora as its shareholders. "Since Young Indian is a non-profit, it cannot distribute dividends or profits," she said.
Shrinate further accused the BJP of spreading lies, emphasizing that the Congress had disclosed the loan and did not hide it. She contrasted the Congress’s transparency with the BJP's handling of electoral bonds. "Unlike the BJP, which operates businesses through electoral bonds, we did not conceal anything," she added.
The Congress leader also questioned the delayed action, saying, "The BJP has been in power for 11 years; if they had proof, they would have filed the charge sheet earlier. The truth is, they have no evidence to back their claims."
In a separate development, the Congress took strong exception to BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj carrying a tote bag with the slogan "National Herald Ki Loot" during a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on "One Nation, One Election." The move, which grabbed headlines, was seen as a political statement targeting Congress.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rashid Alvi sharply criticized Swaraj for indulging in what he called "bag politics." "She is the daughter of Sushma Swaraj. Maybe the BJP gave her a ticket because of her mother, but instead of engaging in this bag politics, she should work towards becoming a good parliamentarian, like her respected mother," Alvi said. He advised her to focus on learning the qualities of her mother and avoid getting caught up in petty issues that could hinder her political growth.
With IANS inputs
