Countering allegations of harrassment levelled by the Congress after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party MP Rahul Gandhi in connection with the National Herald money-laundering case, BJP president JP Nadda on Wednesday asked Congress leaders to approach the courts if they believe that they have been falsely implicated.
“Have you ever heard any criminal saying that he is dishonest? No criminal ever says that he is dishonest. Even after being punished and spending years in prison, they (criminals) say they were framed,” Nadda said while addressing a press conference.
“The man who is standing in a witness box and on bail…why can’t they get the charges removed? They are not doing so because papers against them were true and papers are permanent and they are forcing him (the person in the witness box) to stand there,” Nadda said.
Nadda said that if the Gandhis believe in their innocence, they should approach the court like any other honest person, and get the charges against them dismissed. “It is a corruption case and courts are looking into it. Why should I comment? But I feel that if a chargesheet is filed against you, then you move the court to get it quashed as you are an honest person. Those who are not honest, they secure bail and use other provisions.”
The ED has summoned Congress president Sonia Gandhi for questioning at its agency headquarters in Delhi on June 8 as son Congress MP Rahul Gandhi sought for more time to depose, after he was asked to show up on June 2.
Soon after the development, the Congress likened the Modi government to the British Empire, which had tried to suppress The National Herald newspaper before India’s independence. Hitting out at the central government, Randeep Surjewala, Congress spokesperson and a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, said, “Started the National Herald newspaper in 1942, at that time the British tried to suppress it, today Modi govt is also doing the same & ED is being used for this. ED has given notice to our president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.”
(With inputs from PTI)