National Herald case: Matter driven by Prime Minister’s office, says Rahul Gandhi

“I have full faith in judiciary. “Who is threatening judiciary we all know”.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi will have to appear before the Patiala House Court on 19 December at 3 pm during the next hearing of the National Herald case.

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of “intimidating the opposition”.

Asked about Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu’s charge that Congress was using Parliament to threaten judiciary by disruptions, he said, “It is the other way round”. This section of Congress’ erstwhile supporters are being conveyed the message that former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s daughter-in-law and grandson are being victimised by the ruling BJP. Owned by the Associated Journal Ltd., the paper presented the views of the Indian National Congress, the political party that led India’s fight for independence against the British and has ruled the country for most of its history. The Congress says no assets have been transferred out of the newspaper and it is not legally possible under the deal. Parliamentarians rushed the well in both houses of parliament on Tuesday, accusing Modi of “vendetta politics”. They will be seen as admitting their alleged wrongdoing in the National Herald case if they do so.

Naidu took on the opposition, saying it was not the government but the Congress party that was doing politics of vendetta.

The government needs Congress support to pass key legislations in the Parliament, as part of its reforms agenda.

On June 26, 2014, the lower court summoned Rahul and Sonia as accused in the criminal complaint for alleged cheating and misappropriation of funds in acquiring ownership of now-defunct daily National Herald.

Sonia, probably trying to convey her nonchalance at yesterday’s court verdict, chose to sit in Parliament’s Central Hall for an informal chat with fellow party MPs.

Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said the Congress should not be anxious if it had not done anything wrong in the case. “After the HC dismissed Gandhis” plea for quashing of summons, their lawyers had told the metropolitan magistrate that they were seeking exemption from personal appearances only for a day and that they were otherwise “very keen” to personally appear before the court.