A war of words erupted between the ruling BJP and Congress on Wednesday in the wake of the Enforcement Directorate’s charge sheet against Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case.

Welcoming the probe agency’s action, the BJP said the Congress does not have the right to “misappropriate” private property that was given to the National Herald by the government.

Advertisement

Referring to the Congress’ nationwide protests over the Enforcement Directorate’s charge sheet against Rahul and Sonia, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad stated that while the Congress party has the right to stage a protest, it does not have the right to “misappropriate” private property that was given to the National Herald by the government.

Addressing the media at the BJP headquarters, he said, “One thing should be kept in mind that Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi are out on bail. They knocked on the doors of the High Court and Supreme Court to quash the case but did not get any relief… Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi should answer whether the law should be allowed to take its course or not.”

Prasad said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government will let the law do its work.

The BJP leader emphasised that ”the newspaper, which was supposed to strengthen the voice of the people fighting for independence, they turned that newspaper into a private business, an ATM!”

Talking about the history of National Herald and Young India Limited, Prasad alleged that the Opposition party misappropriated the party’s funds and termed it a ‘corporate conspiracy.’

“In 2008, the publication of National Herald was closed, after that Congress gave 90 crores to Associated Journal Limited, which publishes National Herald….a political party cannot give their party’s fund to a private body, that is important to know. That is prohibited,” he said.

Hitting back at BJP, the Congress asserted that the Gandhis are being deliberately targeted by the ruling dispensation to divert from issues concerning the public, foreign policy and economic crisis.

In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge attacking the ruling dispensation said, “Narendra Modi ji, your despotic sarkar (government) is hell-bent on targeting the Congress to whitewash its own sins.”

Addressing a press conference at the party office, Congress general secretary in-charge of Organisation Jairam Ramesh said, “The Congress leadership, especially Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi ji and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi are being deliberately targeted. This effort is being made to divert attention from public issues, foreign policy and economic crisis.”

Without naming, he claimed the masterminds of this vendetta politics are two people who have a criminal mindset, but the Congress party will not remain silent.

“Even today Rahul Gandhi ji is in Gujarat and our colleagues have protested across the country. We cannot be silenced. We will continue to raise public issues,” he added.