Govt's tactic to divert attention from real issues: Cong on fresh FIR in Herald case
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Monday slammed the Centre over the filing of a fresh FIR in the National Herald case, describing the move as "harassment" by the Enforcement Directorate and a tactic by the Modi government to divert public attention from real issues.
Speaking to reporters here, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the ED and the BJP government deserve a "Nobel Prize for fabricating a crime where none has been committed".
He described the action as a tactic to divert public attention from the country's major problems like "deteriorating" economy, unemployment and a "failed" foreign policy.
"The ED sees it as a case of money laundering where no money movement has taken place," the Congress leader said.
The Delhi Police has filed an FIR against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and other accused in the National Herald case on a complaint by the ED as part of the agency's money laundering probe into the high-profile case that alleges that the Gandhi family "abused" their position for personal gains.
Singhvi recounted the history of Associated Journals Limited, the company that publishes the National Herald, and explained its financial restructuring process. He pointed out that National Herald stood up to the British during the freedom movement.
It has often been observed that institutions founded on idealism have failed to perform well and this is precisely what has happened with AJL, he said.
He claimed that to keep the torch of ideals burning, the Congress provided loans to AJL and to free the company from debt, it was decided to convert the loans into equity, which was a common practice in businesses.
Singhvi said that AJL's debt was transferred to Young Indian, resulting in Young Indian holding 99 per cent of AJL's shareholding. He stressed that, as a not-for-profit company, Young Indian cannot make any profit, nor do its directors receive any salary or allowances.
Since no money was transacted, no profit was earned, and no movable or immovable property was transferred, the question of money laundering does not arise in this entire matter, the Congress leader claimed.
He questioned the ED's motive behind the current action, pointing out that a chargesheet has already been filed in this case, which is currently pending in the Rouse Avenue Special Court.
Singhvi said that he had argued four months ago that since there is no government complaint in this case, the ED has no role to play, and the court's decision is still pending.
"The BJP's politics is to tire out the opposition, embellish lies, and manipulate the agencies.
"This is a bizarre situation. No crime, no cash, no trail to find. The BJP still conjures a case of its own twisted mind. If justice is blind, then ED is colourblind — it only sees one colour, the opposition colour," he said.
"It is a case with no money movement, no movement of immovable property, and no mischief, yet the ED, in its imagination, sees money laundering," he claimed.
"Fiction has found a uniform. If vendetta were the syllabus, the BJP would graduate with honours. From a private complaint to a public circus, the National Herald case is the BJP's recycled obsession. The BJP manufactures a crime where none exists," Singhvi asserted.
"This is not the National Herald case, it's the National Harassment case," he claimed.
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'Warm and engaging atmosphere reigned', Shashi Tharoor on Putin banquet
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who on Friday attended a banquet for Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, on Saturday described the atmosphere there as "warm" and "engaging", and said he enjoyed his conversations with many of the attendees.
Tharoo’s remarks came a day after President Droupadi Murmu hosted a banquet for the visiting Russian president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
“Attended the @rashtrapatibhvn banquet for President Putin last night. A warm and engaging atmosphere reigned. Enjoyed my conversations with many of the attendees, especially my dining companions from the Russian delegation!" Tharoor said in a social media post.
Murmu, while welcoming President Putin and his delegation at the banquet, had said that his visit marked an important milestone -- the 25th anniversary of the India-Russia strategic partnership, which was established in October 2000 during his first visit to the country as president.
Murmu also appreciated Putin's support and personal commitment to the India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership.
The Congress on Friday said that the leaders of the opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, were not invited to the banquet, and took a swipe at Tharoor for accepting the invite.
The party’s media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, accused the government of breaking protocols daily and not believing in democratic principles.
“There is no invite to both the LoPs, Mr (Mallikarjun) Kharge and Mr (Rahul) Gandhi. This comes as a surprise, but I don't think we should be surprised. This government is known to be breaching all protocols. What else to say, ask the government,” Khera said on Friday.
Asked about Tharoor accepting the invite for the banquet, Khera said, "Ask Mr Tharoor. All of us who are in the party, if our leaders don't get invited and we get invited, we need to question our own conscience and listen to our conscience. Politics has been played in inviting or not inviting people, which in itself is questionable, and those who accept such an invite are also questionable."
“We would have listened to our voice of conscience,” he added.
Earlier, Tharoor had said that there was a time when the chairman of the external affairs committee was routinely invited, but that practice seems to have stopped some years ago.
On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government tells visiting foreign dignitaries not to meet the leader of opposition due to its "insecurity".
His remarks came hours ahead of Putin's two-day visit to India.
