National Herald case: Mumbai Cong takes out protest march to ED office against 'misuse' of agencies

Mumbai, Dec 17 (PTI) The Mumbai Congress on Wednesday took out a protest march to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office here, alleging misuse of central agencies by the BJP-led Union government in the National Herald case, and demanded an apology from the ruling party to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

The protest march was led by Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad, who alleged that the ED was acting at the behest of the Modi government to harass the Congress leadership and malign the party through false corruption allegations.

In a relief to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and five others, a Delhi court on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the ED's money laundering charge against them in the National Herald case, holding that the agency's probe stemmed from a private complaint and not an FIR.

Addressing protesters, Gaikwad said the BJP government deliberately targeted Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi out of "political vendetta" despite there being "no criminal offence" in the National Herald matter.

"The ED action is being carried out on the directions of the Modi government. Congress leaders have been repeatedly summoned and harassed in the name of investigation," she said, adding that after the court verdict, the BJP must apologise to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for defaming them.

Police deployed heavy security to stop the march near the ED office.

The protesters raised slogans against the BJP government, following which the police detained several Congress workers and later released them, a press release issued by the party after the protest here said.

Warning the ruling party, Gaikwad said Congress leaders had made sacrifices during the freedom movement and after Independence, and attempts to defame them through false cases would be strongly resisted.

"If the Congress leadership is targeted unfairly, party workers will come out on the streets and give a fitting reply," she said.

Gaikwad also accused the BJP government of protecting its own leaders while acting swiftly against opposition figures. She cited the case of Sports Minister Manikrao Kokate, whose two-year sentence in a 1995 cheating and forgery case has been upheld by a court, but who continues to remain in office.

"In Rahul Gandhi's case, his Lok Sabha membership was cancelled within 24 hours of conviction and he was asked to vacate his official residence. Similar action was taken against Congress leader Sunil Kedar. But no action has been taken against Kokate, who belongs to the ruling alliance," she alleged.

She also alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar was spared in an alleged Rs 1,800-crore land scam in Pune, while action was taken against officials and others involved.

Accusing the BJP of following "different standards of justice" for the ruling party and the Opposition, Gaikwad said central agencies were being used selectively to harass political opponents. PTI MR NP