National Herald case: Congress, BJP slug it out before Sonia, Rahul appear in court today

New Delhi: Trading guns at each other over the National Herald issue, Congress on Saturday alleged that the Modi government was indulging in political vendetta while BJP claimed it was a legal matter and that the opposition party was trying to give the people a wrong impression.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi are scheduled to appear before a magistrate today in connection with the National Herald case.

On November 1, 2010, economist and politician Subramanian Swamy filed a case against Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi’s magistrate court alleging the mother-son duo had committed fraud and grabbed land worth billions by acquiring a publicly limited company called Associated Journals Limited (AJL) through their owned private company, Young Indian.

According to the complaint, the Congress party had granted an interest-free loan of Rs 90.25 crore to Associalted Journals Ltd (AJL), the owners of the National Herald newspaper. He alleged the loan had either not been repaid or repaid in cash, both of which are in violation of the Income Tax Act.

According to reports, Priyanka and Robert Vadra will accompany Sonia and Rahul Gandhi in court.

Raising questions about the government's action, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said if it was not indulging in "political vendetta", why was Subramanian Swamy, the complainant in the case, given 'Z' category security and a "Cabinet minister's house" in Delhi's Lutyen's Zone "only yesterday"?

He also raised questions about the statements made by senior BJP ministers on the issue to support his contention that the government was indulging in "political vendetta" and also referred to the removal of the previous Enforcement Directorate Chief.

"It's a political vendetta led by, I am saying with a sense of responsibility, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swamy is only a small cog in this entire wheel of conspiracy," Surjewala alleged.

Read:

National Herald case: Sonia, Rahul Gandhi to appear before court today, may seek bail

National Herald case: Politics of vendetta won’t be believed, says Vadra

What is the National Herald case?

Tight security at Patiala House court ahead of Rahul, Sonia Gandhi's appearance

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

‘National Herald legal matter, no role of Govt,’ says BJP

He, however, emphasised that his party and the leadership have complete faith in the judiciary, its processes and will fight the legal battle in court.

"We will fight the legal battle in accordance with the law and we will fight the political battle with the Modi government both inside Parliament and also by being the voice of 125 crore people of this country," Surjewala said.

He said that since his party leadership has faith and respect the court processes, workers also have been advised not to gather outside the court here.

BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao, meanwhile, said that initially the Congress party's attempt was to build pressure and give an opinion to the people that this was some kind of administrative action or political vendetta by rivals.

But the court order has "nailed all these absurd allegations. They have even tried to use or mortgage their political and parliamentary strength to get some kind of relief in the court of public opinion by building up political pressure. But the reality is, this is a legal case," Rao said.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh targeted the BJP-RSS combine charging them with always considering Nehru-Gandhi family as "the biggest threat" to their growth.

"BJP-RSS combine have always considered Nehruvian Ideology and Nehru-Gandhi Family as biggest threat to their growth," Singh said in a series of tweets.

"They have run a sustained campaign against them. National Herald is another example of their vilification campaign against them," he said.

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

Surjewala, who also took to Twitter, said, "Sonia ji & Rahul ji have always walked on the path of Truth & Truth will prevail: Why is it that from Home Minister to Shri Naidu & all other ministers continue to level completely biased allegations" in connection with the Herald case.