Gaurav Bhatia (ANI image)
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Wednesday hit out at the Congress over the National Herald case, accusing it of running “misleading propaganda” and alleging that the Gandhi family “thrives on deceit, deception and propaganda” following a trial court order passed a day earlier.Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the Congress was falsely claiming vindication despite the case remaining pending. “The court yesterday (Tuesday) said that since it is a private complaint and no FIR has been lodged, it will not take cognisance of it. It’s a technical matter. The court also said that ED can continue its investigation further. The court did not set it aside,” Bhatia said. He further asserted that the proceedings against the Congress leadership were still underway. “Its (National Herald) trial is still going on. Sonia Gandhi is still Accused Number-1 and Rahul Gandhi Accused Number-2,” he said. Bhatia further alleged: “The Gandhi family thrives on deceit, deception, and propaganda.”Bhatia also dismissed allegations of political vendetta and said the National Herald case originated from a private complaint, pointing out that neither the High Court nor the Supreme Court had quashed the proceedings when Sonia and Rahul Gandhi approached the courts seeking relief. He alleged that the Gandhi family is the “most corrupt family” in global politics and said, “They are out on bail but still accused in the case.”The BJP spokesperson also took strong exception to remarks made by Congress leader Pawan Khera, who had accused the “gangs of Gandhinagar” of misusing central probe agencies.Demanding an apology from Khera and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Bhatia said, “Every Indian, especially those in Gandhinagar, is pained by his remarks. What kind of language is this? If we were to respond in their language, the people of India call them ‘dacoits of Italy’. These people come to plunder India. Without becoming a citizen, they try to cast a vote and insult Gandhinagar’s honest, hardworking and patriotic people.”Earlier, Khera had said, “I won’t use the word government. I won’t use the word prime minister. I won’t say home minister. Pardon me, I will say gangs of Gandhinagar,” while alleging misuse of the ED, CBI, Income Tax department and Election Commission.
What the court said?
Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday declined to take cognisance of proceedings arising from a fresh FIR in the National Herald case, observing that the Enforcement Directorate’s probe is based on a private complaint and not on an FIR. The court also ruled that Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and other accused are not entitled to a copy of the FIR at this stage, but allowed the ED to continue further investigation.The court highlighted that cognisance could not be taken as the ED’s case stems from a private complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and the magistrate’s summoning orders and not from an FIR.Reacting to the order, the Congress claimed vindication and accused the BJP-led government of political vendetta. In a post on X, the party said, “Truth has prevailed. The malafide and illegality of the Modi govt stands fully exposed. Proceedings of ED against the Congress leadership – Smt Sonia Gandhi Ji and Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji, in the Young Indian case have been found completely illegal and malafide by the Honourable Court.”The Congress added, “No case of money laundering, no proceeds of crime and no movement of property – all baseless charges that have been a part of political witch hunt, propaganda, reputation assassination and campaign which stands defeated today.”Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also welcomed the order, alleging harassment of the Gandhi family.“They are doing this for political vendetta. This case is only to trouble the Gandhi family. There is no FIR in this case…Our slogan is ‘Satyamev Jayate’, and we welcome the judgment in the case…,” Kharge said, adding that the party would take the issue to the streets.BJP’s Bhatia, however, accused the Congress of double standards.“Today they are appreciating the judiciary just like they felt about the Election Commission when the poll results in Telangana, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh came in their favour. When the poll results did not come in their favour in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi, the Election Commission became bad for them,” he said, adding that such conduct showed the Congress had become “hollow from inside.”He concluded by saying that anyone alleging misuse of investigative agencies is free to approach the courts, adding that the Supreme Court had dismissed a similar petition filed earlier by 14 parties. Go to Source
