Congress has the right to protest, but not to loot land… BJP’s retort on Congress’ protest against ED action

Politics has intensified over the ED’s chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. On one hand, while Congress is protesting against ED across the country today, BJP has hit back at Congress. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a press conference that Congress party has the right to protest, but does not have the right to loot land and funds. He accused Congress leaders of share manipulation, corruption and grabbing property worth thousands of crores.

‘National Herald was not the property of Nehru family’

He said that National Herald was started in 1937. It had 5000 shareholders. That is, its shares were never the property of Nehru family. It is very important to understand this and big people who were freedom fighters who later became big leaders of Congress, Chief Ministers etc., all of them cooperated in it. In 2008, the publication of National Herald stopped because it could not run. After that, Congress party had given Rs 90 crore to National Herald. Congress party is a political party and there are many extensions to the political party that they cannot give funds to any private body. A corporate conspiracy was hatched so that all this property comes in the hands of the Gandhi family.

‘Properties captured through Young India’

Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that Congress captured its properties through a company called Young India Limited. 76% shares in Young India are owned by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Prasad claimed that shares worth Rs 90 crore were transferred in exchange of Rs 50 lakh, after which properties worth thousands of crores in Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Bhopal and Patna came under the control of Young India.

Share manipulation and misuse of property

Prasad said that Young India was described as a non-profit organization, but it did not do any charitable work. He alleged that a loan of Rs 90 crore was written off and only Rs 50 lakh was paid. Apart from this, land bought in Haryana for Rs 3 crore was sold for Rs 8 crore, which he named “Gandhi Model of Development”.

ED investigation and questioning of Congress leaders

Prasad said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigated the matter and questioned several Congress leaders. This includes Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Pawan Bansal, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The ED investigated under the Money Laundering Act and filed its report in the court. The court has fixed the date of hearing on 21 and 25 April 2025.

Legal action against Congress

Prasad said that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are on bail in this case. They appealed to the High Court and the Supreme Court to cancel the action, but did not get any relief. The only exemption was given that they can appear through a lawyer instead of appearing in court personally. Prasad termed the Congress protests as vendetta and called it an attempt to avoid the legal process.

‘Let the law do its work’

The BJP demanded that the case be thoroughly investigated and the law be allowed to do its work. Prasad questioned the Congress, “Shouldn’t the law do its work? If public property worth thousands of crores has been wrongly occupied, should we remain silent on this?” He said that in the Narendra Modi government, investigating agencies are working independently and the ED will not be pressurized by protests.

Historical importance of National Herald

Prasad also commented on the historical importance of National Herald. He said that this newspaper was the voice of the people in the freedom struggle, but the Congress made it an ‘ATM for making money’. He quoted Congress leaders like Sardar Patel and Chandra Bhanu Gupta and said that money was collected for the newspaper in wrong ways and it was made the voice of the Nehru family.

Prasad raised the question why the National Herald newspaper could not run despite the support of the Congress. He claimed that this newspaper was not for news, but a means to collect advertisements and acquire properties with government assistance. He said that Young India received advertisements worth Rs 25-26 crore even after the transfer, but the purpose of the newspaper was not fulfilled.

Targeted Mamata government over Bengal violence

Apart from National Herald, Prasad also commented on the recent violence in West Bengal. He accused the Mamata Banerjee government of doing vote bank politics and ignoring targeted attacks on Hindus. He said that shops of Hindus were burnt in Bengal, while Muslim shops were spared. Prasad questioned Mamata whether humanity has ended in her government.

Prasad also questioned Mamata Banerjee on reforms in the Waqf Board. He asked that if women and Pasmanda Muslims are being given representation in the Waqf Board and accountability is being fixed on the seizure of lands of poor Muslims, then what is the problem with Mamata with this.