Political tensions in Jharkhand spiked on Wednesday after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a charge sheet in the National Herald money laundering case, naming Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The move sparked sharp reactions from both the BJP and Congress, culminating in protests and fiery exchanges.
At a press conference in Ranchi, BJP Leader of Opposition and state president Babulal Marandi launched a blistering attack on the Congress and the Gandhi family. Referring to the ED’s charge sheet, Marandi accused the Congress of financial misconduct and using its political influence to undermine the investigation. “The Congress has committed theft and is unapologetically defiant about it,” he said.
Marandi detailed what he termed as the “systematic hijacking” of National Herald, which was founded in 1937 with over 5,000 shareholders. After the newspaper’s financial collapse in 2008, he claimed, a Rs 90 crore loan from the Congress to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) facilitated the creation of Young Indian, a company with a 76 per cent stake held by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. He alleged this allowed the Gandhis to acquire prime properties worth billions across multiple cities. “National Herald is a vehicle to convert public assets into private wealth,” Marandi said, pointing to properties in Delhi’s Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg.
Marandi also accused the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand government of using taxpayers money to support National Herald. He cited government advertisements featuring the Chief Minister’s image published in the newspaper on 13 August 2023 and 21 January 2024. “Why is the Congress-backed National Herald getting government advertisements when it is defunct?” Marandi questioned, further accusing the state government of wasting public funds.
In contrast, Congress responded with a large-scale protest outside the ED office in Ranchi, led by the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee. Hundreds of party workers, including leaders and MLAs, gathered to voice their opposition to what they called a “political vendetta” by the BJP. AICC in-charge K Raju denounced the charges, alleging that the BJP was undermining democratic institutions. “The BJP fears Rahul Gandhi’s growing support among youth, farmers, and the unemployed,” he said.
State Congress president Keshav Mahato Kamlesh criticised the ED’s activism, accusing the BJP of using the agency to target opposition leaders before elections. Several Congress legislators, including Pradeep Yadav and Rajesh Kacchap, echoed these claims, describing the charge sheet as a politically motivated attack on the Gandhi family.
The protest saw the participation of senior Congress leaders such as Subodh Kant Sahay, Bandhu Tirkey, Jaleshwar Mahato, and Dr Irfan Ansari. While Congress framed its rally as a defense of constitutional values, BJP leaders underscored the importance of following due legal process and maintaining institutional independence.
The political battle also raised questions about the role of the Hemant Soren government, with the BJP alleging that the state is acting at the behest of its Congress ally. The Jharkhand government has not yet responded to the allegations about the advertisements.
As the legal proceedings in the National Herald case continue, with Sonia and Rahul Gandhi already out on bail, the situation remains tense. The Supreme Court recently dismissed their plea for permanent exemption from personal appearance, adding further fuel to the ongoing political firestorm.