BJP using Subramanian Swamy to 'persecute and prosecute' Congress: Kapil Sibal

New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy, the Congress on Tuesday branded him as a tool being used by the ruling party to persecute and prosecute the grand old party.

"Who is Subramanian Swamy? He is the power of attorney holder of the BJP to persecute and prosecute the Congress party and a member of their central committee. He has been given the specific task of targeting us and this is their methodology used by the BJP, so he is his master's voice. And the way the BJP has been targeting Congress leaders in the past year, shows they have no idea how to govern this country," Senior Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal told the media.

He accused the BJP-led government of trying to distract the attention of the masses from the good governance that was being practiced by the Congress leadership and accused them of going all out in their goal to have a "Congress-free" India. "We want that the BJP functions within the constitution and focuses on governance so that the people are benefited. Truth is that the BJP wants a Congress free India. And any political party which says it wants that is destined to failure. How can a political party say they don't want an opposition? It's undemocratic," Sibal added.

However, he added that he was sure of the nation's faith in the Congress and expressed confidence that the grand old party will come back with a bang in the same way it has done in the past. "The tide against BJP has already started and it is indicated in the results in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar. You can't get away by just slapping cases on people. The nation will be fixed when the government starts to work for the people," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday both Congress President Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi broke their silence over the National Herald case and held their ground. "I will react to this when I go to the Parliament tomorrow. I absolutely see a case of political vendetta and this is the way the Central Government functions. They think they can do vendetta politics and stop me from asking questions, but I won't. I will keep putting pressure on them, keep asking questions and do my job," Rahul told the media in Puducherry.

Sonia also asserting that she was not afraid against the charges being levelled at her. "Why should I be scared of anyone? I am Indira Gandhi's daughter-in-law, I am not scared of anyone," she told the reporters.

Sonia and Rahul will appear in the Patiala court on December 19, at 3 pm.