National Herald Case: BJP and Congress Clash Over Allegations
The Winter Session of Parliament began with heated debates as the BJP and Congress parties engaged in a war of words over the National Herald case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a new FIR, alleging that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi misused government-allotted properties for private gain.
BJP Accusations
BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh accused the Congress of a "loot" related to the National Herald case. He stated that the Congress "waived off loans worth Rs 90 crores for just Rs 50 lakhs" as part of a larger conspiracy.
Key Allegations by Tarun Chugh:
- Congress leaders are in "panic, frustration and outcry" over the National Herald case.
- Freedom fighters' money was "openly looted."
- The loan waiver was part of a "big conspiracy."
- The Supreme Court has accepted that this is a case of "fraud and forgery."
Here is a quote from Tarun Chugh:
“Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi is in a state of panic, frustration and outcry over National Herald. This is unfortunate. Freedom fighters’ money was openly looted... Corruption has been done. By waiving off loans worth Rs 90 crore for just Rs 50 lakh. Assets have been seized. The Congress has done this as part of a big conspiracy and is enacting a political drama. Instead of giving speeches, the Congress should answer for the loot of the National Herald. The Supreme Court has accepted that this is a case of fraud and forgery and the Gandhi-Nehru family will have to face trial.”
Congress' Response
The Congress party has responded strongly, dismissing the case as a "national harassment case." Senior advocate and Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi criticized the BJP's "recycled obsession" with the matter.
Key Points from Abhishek Singhvi's Response:
- The case is a "bizarre situation" with "no crime, no cash, no trail to find."
- The ED is "colour blind" and only sees the opposition.
- There is "no money movement, no movement of immovable property, no misuse."
- The National Herald case is the BJP’s "recycled obsession."
Here is a quote from Abhishek Singhvi:
“This is a bizarre situation. No crime, no cash, no trail to find. The BJP still conjures a case of its own twisted mind. If justice is blind, then ED is colour blind. It only sees one colour, the opposition colour. It’s a case with no money movement, no movement of immovable property, no misuse, yet the ED in its imagination, sees money laundering. Today, fiction has found a uniform. If vendetta were a syllabus, the BJP would graduate with honours. From a private complaint to a public circus, the National Herald case is the BJP’s recycled obsession... This is not the National Herald Case, this is the National Harassment case…”
Background of the Case
On April 9, the ED filed a chargesheet against seven people, including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, in connection with the case. Both leaders were questioned in 2022. The ED had previously issued notices to seize assets worth Rs 661 crore in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow, linked to Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and Young Indian.
The FIR, registered on October 3, names several individuals and entities, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, Young Indian, Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd, Sunil Bhandari, Associated Journals Ltd and unknown people under Indian Penal Code Sections 420, 406, 403, and 120-B.
