As Enforcement Directorate summoned Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for interrogation in connection with the National Herald case on 21st July 2022, Congress workers started protesting in different parts of the country. The Congress workers staged protests calling ED’s action against its top leadership a ‘political vendetta’. The party leaders gathered for the demonstration at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi and hoisted slogans and rallies extending support to Gandhi. Not only this, but senior Congress leaders also supported protests with their bizarre statements in an attempt to shield their supreme leader.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said, “The kind of personality & aura she (Sonia Gandhi) has and since she is more than 70 years old, ED should have gone to her house for investigation. I want to meet the chief of ED & CBI and tell them what people are thinking about central agencies.”
Delhi | The kind of personality & aura she (Sonia Gandhi) has and since she is more than 70 years old, ED should have gone to her house for investigation. I want to meet the chief of ED & CBI and tell them what people are thinking about central agencies: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot pic.twitter.com/pXQvbcm2rl
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2022
Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, “There is a misuse of agencies in the country. It’s our right to protest in a democracy, but it is also being crushed upon.”
Congress leader Sachin Pilot detained for protesting over ED probe against Sonia Gandhi. “There is misuse of agencies in the country… it’s our right to protest in a democracy, but it is also being crushed upon…,” he says pic.twitter.com/JQuqfUB3p4
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2022
Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar said, “There was no need to summon her, they are only harassing her. This is political vendetta. BJP is afraid of her. They want to mentally harass Congress leaders.”
There was no need to summon her, they are only harassing her. This is political vendetta. BJP is afraid of her. They want to mentally harass congress leaders: Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar pic.twitter.com/WwPmGgyvr1
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2022
Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said, “They (ruling party) want to show how powerful they are. We’ve raised the issue of inflation in Parliament but they’re not ready for discussion. We’re now raising the issue of misuse of central probe agencies.”
They (ruling party) want to show how powerful they are. We’ve raised the issue of inflation in Parliament but they’re not ready for discussion. We’re now raising the issue of misuse of central probe agencies: Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on ED questioning of Sonia Gandhi pic.twitter.com/8TEVbNjQhd
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2022
It is notable that the National Herald scam is one of the most notable legal cases in Indian history, as the Gandhis are directly accused. The Mother-Son duo of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul, along with their aides – Oscar Fernandez, Motilal Vohra, and Sam Pithroda are alleged to have been involved in massive ‘cheating and breach of trust’ in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) by Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YIL). Assets worth crores of rupees had been allegedly transferred for purposes other than originally intended for a paltry sum. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi got unconditional bail in December 2015.
Rahul Gandhi was questioned by ED on June 13 for over 6 hours and his statement was recorded under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had recorded the statements of all those involved in the case, with the exception of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. The agency however had issued summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi on July 11 for recording her statement on July 21.
