National Herald Case: Gandhis walk out, Subramanian Swamy drives away

The biggest takeaway from Saturday’s events was the sight of the entire pantheon of Congress leadership putting up a show of unity as the Gandhis made their way to the magistrate’s court in the National Herald case. That’s the reason as to why ultimately both of them had to appear in front of the court. “No one can eject us from that path”.

Surrounded by a large number of party leaders and activists, Sonia and Rahul said they would not bow down to the diktats of the Modi government and would continue to fight for the rights of the poor.

Yesterday, the Gandhis – who were on the board of Young Indian which acquired the paper in 2010 – appeared in court along with four other accused amid tight security. About 500 Congress workers, led by district Congress president PN Patil and former minister Satej Patil, gathered at district Congress office at station road this evening and shouted slogans against the Centre and Mr Modi. “They were not allowed to sit except Motilal Vora”, he said.

“I am not afraid, not at all”, said a stern-faced Sonia Gandhi to a television reporter who asked if she was tense as she briskly walked into the Patiala House court, followed by her son and a battery of armed guards and party veterans.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Prasad Harichandan, AICC secretary and Odisha in-charge Subhankar Sarkar and leader of opposition Narasingh Mishra, among others, joined the rally on Mahatma Gandhi Marg.

“You would have read in newspapers today how the government has gone out of the way to put Subramanian Swamy in Z category and allotted him official accommodation”, Azad said ahead of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi’s court appearance here in the National Herald case. “I have no doubt that the truth will come out”. He said, the ECI had ruled that the political parties were free to use the money as they wanted.

Facing a private criminal complaint lodged by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy in the transfer of shares of the defunct party newspaper Herald to a newly-created company, the two Gandhis, accompanied by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh besides Priyanka Gandhi appeared before Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen at 2.50 PM.

The National Herald was set up in 1938 by India’s first prime minister and Rahul Gandhi’s great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru.

As soon as the hearing commenced, Swamy opposed the bail pleas moved by the Gandhis and the other accused, saying they are influential persons and might flee the country if enlarged.

Rahul is also a grandson of slain Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The Congress leaders on July 30, 2014 moved the high court, which stayed the summons. “I appeared in court as a law abiding citizen…with a clear conscience”.