National Herald case: Rahul Gandhi drives suspense over bail

“The issue is something driven by the Prime Minister’s Office”.

Speaking outside Parliament on Tuesday, Sonia thundered: “Why should I be scared of anyone?”

Reacting to the court summons, Sonia Gandhi said “I am the daughter-in-law of Indira Gandhi (India’s first woman Prime Minister) and I am not afraid of anybody or anything”. “Pure 100 per cent vendetta”, Gandhi had said. Instead, they are okay with watching public money go down the drain (thanks to their protests in the Parliament).

Sonia and Rahul Gandhi’s moral outrage, however, seemingly sits at odds with the facts of the case.

“The government has passed no order in relation to the disputed transactions”. Sonia’s birthday on 9 December has provided the impetus to party workers to replace the celebrations with a determination to launch a countrywide struggle against the BJP’s attempt “to malign” the family.

Let the Gandhis and the Congress fight it out legally, he said. Accusing Congress party of “placing hurdles” in Modi government’s functioning, he referred to the ongoing obstructionism in the upper house raised by some MPs.

Rahul clearly is indulging in rhetorical politics.

The reasoning is even more stunning.

Azad told reporters afterwards that two kinds of rules being followed by the Modi government, noting no action had been taken against BJP chief ministers over allegations of corruption but complaints were being filed against Congress leaders including Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

“In this case, what step has the government of India taken for which Parliament can be obstructed”, he asked.

Congress leaders alleged political vendetta as the case follows a criminal complaint lodged by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy for alleged cheating and misappropriation of funds in acquiring ownership of now-defunct daily National Herald. “And if they are saying “vendetta”, that means Congress is blaming the judiciary”, Rathore said. “Nobody enjoys immunity from court proceedings in India”.

Venkaiah Naidu, who also addressed a press conference, accused the Congress of using Parliament to “intimidate and silence” the judiciary after the Gandhis were not given relief by court in the Herald case.

Dubbing the Congress as “irresponsible”, he accused the grand old party of trying to arbitrage its political influence and parliamentary strength to get a levee in alleged acts of criminality.

Several Congress leaders, including former Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of various states and members of Parliament, visited Ms. Gandhi’s residence to greet her and present her with bouquets of flowers.