The Congress party has virtually turned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioning it’s former chief Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald Money Laundering case on Monday into a show of strength by his party. The who’s who of the Congress’ top guard hit the streets in the national capital along with party workers to express solidarity with him.
Senior party leaders, including the party’s two chief ministers Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, members of the Congress Working Committee, Members of Parliament, AICC General Secretaries and state in charges arrived at the party headquarters ahead of Rahul’s march to the ED office.
The approach routes to the party office were barricaded and there was heavy police presence as the Delhi Police had not given permission to the party to conduct a march of leaders and workers along with Rahul to the ED office. Section 144 was imposed around the agency’s office, which is not far from the Congress headquarters.
Rahul began his march to the agency’s office from the party headquarters accompanied by sister, AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Senior leaders and workers who attempted to join him were detained by the police.
The Congress’ ‘Satyagraha’ in Delhi against the alleged misuse of the ED against its top leadership was accompanied by dharnas by party leaders and workers across the country. The party claims that the Modi government is acting out of a sense of political vendetta and there is no basis on which the case is being carried forward.
Lamenting Congress protests, union minister Smriti Irani accused the Congress of trying to pressurise the Enforcement Directorate by holding protests and said it was an attempt to save the assets of Gandhi family.
The Minister’s remarks came hours after Gandhi reached the ED Office in New Delhi for questioning in the National Herald money laundering case.
“The protest that Congress leaders and workers are doing today on the call of Rahul Gandhi, is not an attempt to save democracy by an attempt to save the assets of 2,000 crore of the Gandhi family,” Irani said while holding a press conference here at party headquarters.
She alleged that AGL Company was created to serve the welfare of society but instead of serving the society, the company becomes limited only to the service of the Gandhi Family.
In a direct attack on Rahul Gandhi, Irani, who had defeated the Congress leader in Amethi in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, said, “The Wayanad MP must explain to the nation ‘What is the link of Rahul Gandhi with Dotex Company?’.”
“In the 1930s, Associate Journals Limited was formed with 5,000 freedom fighters as shareholders. Today, a company that was to be run by freedom fighters has been usurped by the Gandhi family,” the minister said.
