National Herald case example of sustained campaign against Gandhis, says Congress

New Delhi: Calling the National Herald case an example of vilification of the Congress by the ruling party, party leader Digvijaya Singh accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of running a 'sustained campaign' against the Nehruvian ideology.

"BJP RSS combine have always considered Nehruvian Ideology and Nehru Gandhi Family as biggest threat to their growth. They have run a sustained campaign against them. National Herald is another example of their vilification campaign against them," he said in a series of tweets.

"People of this Country would give them a fitting reply as they did earlier. Gandhi Nehruvian Ideology is ingrained in Indian Ethos," he added.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said that path of truth is always the correct path and the grand old party along with its leaders (Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi) has always walked the path of truth. It said that the truth will prevail in the ongoing National Herald case also.

"The Congress Party and the Congress leadership is ready to take on the political malicious vendetta unleashed by the Modi Government and the Bharatiya Janata Party through the agency of Subramanian Swamy," Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said.

"The political vendetta led by Narendra Modi and Subramanian Swamy is only a small cog in this wheel of conspiracy," he added.

Surjewala also said that the Congress Party won't bow down in front of the political vendetta of Prime Minister Modi, Subramanian Swamy or the BJP.

"We will continue to champion the voice of the people in this country. We will continue to expose the misdeeds of the Modi Government. We have complete faith in the judicial system," he said.

"We will fight this legal battle in accordance with law and we will fight the political battle both inside Parliament and outside it," he further added.

The Gandhis are two among six people - including other top Congress leaders and Gandhi family associates - accused by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy of trying to illegally acquire real estate worth thousands of crores belonging to the now defunct newspaper National Herald.

The National Herald newspaper was closely associated with India's freedom struggle and the Indian National Congress till 2008. In January 2008, discussions about its closure began. On 1 April 2008, the paper's editorial announced that it was temporarily suspending operations. Before its closure, the paper was being run by Associated Journals Limited (AJL).

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed the case in a local court in 2012. The trial court then issued summons to the two leaders among others in June 2014, but they approached the Delhi High Court seeking a stay. On Monday this week, the high court refused to stay the summons, and asked all of the accused to appear for a hearing on December 19.

The accused face allegations that they illegally acquired property worth Rs. 5,000 crore belonging to the National Herald newspaper.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up at the Patiala House court premises. Congress supporters gathered in large numbers outside party headquarters displaying their solidarity the leaders.

They proclaimed that they were not staging a protest on the request of their party chief but would be eager to lend support to the Congress party by all means.

They were of the view that Congress would come out clean in the case and that they were waiting for the next order of their party supremo.

According to party sources, the Congress is open to avail all legal remedies and options.

Expressing confidence in the judicial system, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the party would exercise its right to bail and exemption after taking legal advice in accordance with the law.

"All legal options, including bail and exemption are available, and we shall exercise them according to internal confidential legal advice between us and our clients and also in accordance with law. This is not a tamasha or a game. We are proceeding to court in a serious, dignified and respectful manner," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.

"All this hype and hyperbole is totally unnecessary for a routine court proceeding. We have utmost faith and respect in the judiciary. My commitment some days ago to appear today. We are appearing today," he added.

Singhvi added when there was no restriction on the shareholders of AJL, there was no criminal complaint. But now, when AJL is 'ring-fenced' by a Section 25 company in 2011 called Young India, a criminal complaint is coming up.

"Now, we have a second ring-fencing of a Section 8 company. AJL itself is being converted, the notice is being issued. Is there going to be another threat because we are ring-fencing, safeguarding and increasing the multiple layers of safeguards this time? This is absolute petty politicisation by a senior member of the BJP," he added.