In a significant development, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government, labeling the National Herald case as a politically motivated move. His comments came after a Special Judge for MP/MLA cases in New Delhi rejected the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea against Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Congress Leader's Scathing Attack on BJP
Addressing media persons in Chandigarh, Surjewala, who is a Member of Parliament and AICC general secretary, stated that the politics of revenge and hatred faced a major setback on December 16. He emphasized that the court's decision to dismiss the ED's case against the Gandhis dealt a body blow to the politics of blind revenge allegedly orchestrated by the Union government through a puppet ED.
Surjewala did not mince words, alleging that the entire case was never grounded in legal principles. The primary aim, he claimed, was to malign the top leadership of the Congress party. He accused the ruling BJP of being rattled by the Congress's persistent exposure of its governance failures over the past eleven years.
A Case of Weaponising Agencies, Alleges Congress
The senior Congress leader asserted that the BJP's response to criticism was to weaponize central investigative agencies, turning them into tools for political intimidation. This is a classic example of how democratic institutions are being undermined for partisan gains, he implied. The dismissal of the ED's plea is seen by the party as a vindication of its stand that the case was built on vendetta rather than any substantive legal wrongdoing.
The court's rejection marks a pivotal moment in the long-running legal saga surrounding the National Herald newspaper. The Congress has consistently framed it as an attempt to target and harass its leadership, a charge it continues to level against the central government.
What This Means for Indian Politics
This legal outcome and the subsequent political rhetoric highlight the ongoing and intense clash between the ruling party and the principal opposition. It underscores the deep-seated allegations of the misuse of power and state agencies, which has become a central theme in India's current political discourse. The event is likely to fuel further debate on the independence of investigative institutions and the nature of political rivalry in the country.
For the Congress, the court's decision provides a much-needed opportunity to counter the BJP's narrative and rally its support base by portraying itself as a victim of political persecution. The coming days will reveal how this development influences the political strategies of both major parties.
