Sonia, Rahul should face the law: Shahnawaz

The National Herald issue had cast its shadow over Parliament for the last few days with Congress members constantly producing outcry in both Homes and blocking the passage of expenses.

Cong-BJP spat grows intense over National Herald BJP retaliates, asks the Congress leader to back his claims with proof The government and the Congress got into a bitter duel over the Delhi High court in the National Herald case, with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi linking the National Herald development to “political vendetta” coming from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Congress has been protesting since yesterday against the “extremely objectionable, derogatory and defamatory” remarks by Virendra Singh on Rahul Gandhi and the rest of Nehru-Gandhi family.

They have also said that, contrary to Dr Swamy’s arguments, money donated to Congress can be disposed of as the party wishes, and that the loans were advanced to AJL because of the long shared history between the party and the company.

Jaitley also stressed that the transfer of Enforcement Directorate chief Rajan S. Katoch was not related to the case.

Kharge said BJP member Virendra Singh has not only refused to apologise but also insisted that he stood by what he had said in his attack on Congress leaders.

Despite Mr Gandhi’s reported willingness to go to jail, however, the court is unlikely to take such a prominent politician into judicial custody while the trial is ongoing, said Peer Mohammed, a Chennai-based political analyst.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments that reforms meant for common men are being stalled in Parliament, Sibal asked, “When he was Chief Minister of Gujarat and for six years he was opposing GST, at that time was his feelings not connected with common men?”.

On divestment targets in the country, he said: “I am lagging behind disinvestment targets, I am conceding…”

The Congress high command seems to have changed its strategy pertaining to “National Herald” case. In a quick dismissive response, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said: “Let him say what he wants” and the party disrupted the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha for yet another day. “Therefore, there is a legitimate suspicion that the BJP government is not exactly indifferent or neutral in the case”, Chidambaram said.

An unfazed Speaker Sumitra Mahajan carried on with the Question Hour before she allowed Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge to speak when the Zero Hour began.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad accused the government of targeting opposition parties, including the Congress, by opening cases against them. Congress took out a solidarity march in his support.

The former finance minister said that the actions of the BJP leaders make it suspect. “However, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi led Congress government has brought back peace to the state”, he said.

He alleges that, through a series of debt and equity deals, a shell company that Sonia and Rahul controlled acquired property worth about $300 million after paying just $75,000.

“In the media there is some sense that the National Herald and the GST are linked”.