Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi slammed the fresh National Herald FIR as “national harassment,” accusing the BJP and investigative agencies of political vendetta.
Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi slammed the fresh National Herald FIR as “national harassment,” accusing the BJP and investigative agencies of political vendetta. (Image Credit: Menafn.com)
NEW DELHI: Two days after the Delhi Police Economics Offence Wing (EOW) registered a case in regard to National Herald, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Monday dubbed it as "national harassment" case and said if vendetta was a syllabus, the BJP would graduate with honours- from a private complaint to a public circus.
He also said that the National Herald case is the BJP’s recycled obsession as not a rupee moved, not an inch of property changed hands, but the BJP manufactured the crime where none existed.
Speaking to media here, Singhvi, a Rajya Sabha member and an eminent lawyer said, "I want to say that 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."
The Congress leader said that it’s a case with no money movement, no movement of immovable property, no mischief.
"Yet the ED in its febrile imagination sees money laundering. Today, fiction has found a uniform. If vendetta was a syllabus, the BJP would graduate with honours- from a private complaint to a public circus," Singhvi said.
"The National Herald case is the BJP’s recycled obsession… not a rupee moved, not an inch of property changed hands, but the BJP manufactures the crime where none exists," he said.
"This is not the National Herald case, this is the ‘National Harassment’ case and you can follow the selectivity- you, the BJP… you, the ED… your selectivity is summons for political rivals, safety for friends… the selective justice never ends," the advocate said.
When asked that how will the Congress reply it and how will he take it forward, Dr Singhvi said that I have given the reply in the public domain.
"This is taking it forward to the Janta Janardan. It will be taken forward at all fora and obviously, the next forum will be the courts, the third forum is always Parliament. So, there are enough democratic forums… that’s the only thing you can do in democracy, nothing else," the Congress leader added.
Earlier, former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot also targeted the government and said, "The Gandhi family has credibility not just in India but across the world."
Gehlot said that even though they (Gandhi's) have not held any government position for 35 years, Congress workers still place their full trust in them.
"This family had donated Anand Bhawan and Swaraj Bhawan during the freedom struggle; Pandit Nehru spent 10 years in jail, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the country. Their popularity has always made the BJP, RSS uncomfortable and afraid," the Congress leader said.
He said that the National Herald newspaper, started by Pandit Nehru in 1938, shut down in 2008. "With the efforts of the Congress Party, it was revived in 2016. By levelling allegations around this, the BJP has been trying continuously to tarnish the image of the Gandhi family. To discredit Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, they were questioned for several days," he said.
The former Chief Minister said that the FIR filed by the ED with the Delhi Police in the National Herald case is yet another clear example of the Modi government’s misuse of agencies.
"Six months after filing the chargesheet in April, the ED registered the FIR because the BJP government realised that the chargesheet is weak," he said, adding, "Whether it is the Income Tax Department, the ED, or the Delhi Police, these actions driven by political vendetta will not affect the Gandhi family or the Congress Party. For the strength of Indian democracy, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will continue to fight with full determination."
The remarks from Congress leaders came after the EOW registered a case against six, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi in connection with the National Herald case.
Founded in 1938 by Jawaharlal Nehru, the National Herald was once a prominent voice of the freedom movement. AJL closed its newspaper operations in 2008, though it retained properties now valued around Rs 5,000 crore. The criminal complaint filed in 2012 by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy reignited the political battle, shaping a decade-long conflict that continues to dominate national debate.
The National Herald case originated from a complaint filed by former MP Subramanian Swamy, alleging misuse of funds by Congress leaders and companies linked to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which publishes the National Herald newspaper.
