MUMBAI: The Maharashtra unit of the Congress on Sunday alleged that the ED's summonses to party president Sonia Gandhi and leader Rahul Gandhi were a result of "political vendetta", and said the grand old party will not bow down to any pressure tactics of the ruling BJP.
The party also claimed that not a single paisa was misappropriated in the National Herald case.
"Congress will not bow to the oppressive tactics of the BJP. The party will hold an agitation on Monday in front of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) offices across the country, including in Mumbai and Nagpur," party's state chief spokesperson Atul Londhe said in a press conference here.
"The BJP government at the Centre has sent ED notices to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case out of political vendetta. Not a single paisa was misappropriated in this case and no director of the National Herald received any benefits or money," he claimed.
The reopening of this case, which was closed in 2015, is a form of harassment of the Gandhi family, but the Congress party will not bow to the BJP government's repression.
The Congress will hold agitation in front of the ED offices in Mumbai and Nagpur on Monday against the BJP's repression, Londhe said.
The National Herald newspaper was founded in 1937 by great leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Purushottam Tandon, Acharya Narendra Dev and Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, he said.
The newspaper played a key role in India's Independence movement.
It was banned by the British government between 1942 and 1945.
Even after the Independence, in order to carry forward the idea of democracy and constitution, this newspaper was continued despite losses, he added.
"In order to pay the salaries of journalists and staff of this newspaper, Congress gave a loan of Rs 90 crore in 100 instalments to the National Herald between 2002 and 2011. Lending in this way is not illegal under any law. All these transactions are completely transparent. How can this be called money laundering when there is no transfer of movable and immovable property and when nobody got any benefits?" he asked.
As the National Herald could not pay the Rs 90 crore debt, Associated Journals Limited (AJL) converted it into equity shares and the shares were transferred to Young India, a not-for-profit company, under Section 25, Londhe said.
At that time Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, late Oscar Fernandes, late Motilal Vora and Suman Dubey were the managing members of the company and have not received any benefits.
All these things are very clear and yet, this action is being taken only out of political vendetta, the Congress leader added.
"The BJP government at the Centre is raising such issues to divert people's attention from the main issues of inflation, rising prices of petrol and diesel, rupee depreciation, economic downturn and killings of Kashmir Pandits," he said.
On June 13, a nationwide agitation will be held in front of the ED offices to protest against this action, he added.
In Mumbai, a protest march willl be taken out from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to ED office around Monday noon under the leadership of Congress's Maharashtra unit chief Nana Patole, Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat and Mumbai Congress president Bhai Jagtap, Londhe said.
Rahul Gandhi is set to appear before the ED in Delhi on Monday in connection with the case.
Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ranjeet Ranjan alleged on Sunday that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summonses issued to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi were part of the BJP-led Centre's "tactic to muzzle the voice of the opposition and divert public attention from issues like inflation, unemployment and the deteriorating security situation in Kashmir".
Ranjan claimed that the summonses were legally and technically untenable as no case could be made out against the Congress leaders since there was no financial transaction anywhere.
Referring to the National Herald case, she said Congress had bailed out the newspaper, which was incurring huge losses.
Ranjan said of the Rs 90 crore, Rs 67 crore were paid to the employees under the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) and as gratuity and the remaining amount was paid as rent, electricity charges and a certain amount was also paid to the government, which the company owed to it.
The Congress leader alleged that it is a clear case of "vendetta and harassment" as the BJP's policy is to "either make people join it or unleash various central agencies like the CBI and the ED on their political opponents".
She said Congress and its leaders cannot be cowed down by such harassment.
"We will face it legally while at the same time, will not let you (BJP) off the hook and will continue to oppose and expose you," Ranjan said.
The Congress will keep maintaining its pressure on the Centre and draw public attention towards its wrongdoings, she added.
Ranjan alleged that leaders from opposition parties such as the Congress, the Shiv Sena, the DMK, the TMC and the NCP are "selectively being targeted and harassed by misusing the CBI and the ED".
She mentioned several names of opposition leaders who, she alleged, are being harassed and intimidated by the ED.
Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera on Sunday claimed there was "political vendetta" behind the Enforcement Directorate's notices.
The Gujarat Congress workers will protest outside the ED's office in Ahmedabad on Monday over the issue, state party president Jagdish Thakor said.
The ED had issued summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi in a money laundering case linked to the National Herald-Associated Journals Ltd deal.
Rahul Gandhi is set to appear before the ED in Delhi on Monday.
"There is not an iota of illegal activity. Despite this, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were served notices by the ED out of political vendetta, with the aim to gain some headlines for a week," Khera told reporters at the Congress office here.
"We should learn from PM Narendra Modi how to manage headlines. Our leaders will honour the ED notice and will go to its office with pride and fearlessness because they have not done anything wrong," he said.
Khera claimed the ruling BJP was trying to suppress the voices that question PM Modi.
He alleged that the BJP was spending crores of rupees to malign Rahul Gandhi's image as he questions the PM without any fear.
But, Rahul Gandhi will not get cowed down, Khera said, adding that they will continue to question PM Modi.
Gujarat Congress president Jagdish Thakor said party leaders and workers from across Gujarat will gather at the Helmet circle in Ahmedabad on Monday and march to the ED office to protest against its notices to their leaders.
Khera said between 2002 and 2011, the Congress provided Rs 90 crore interest-free loan to the AJL, which publishes the National Herald newspaper, towards payment of its debt.
"There was no law which said it cannot do so. Even when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy wrote to the Election Commision highlighting this, it conveyed to him that there was nothing illegal in this," he said.
The loan was later converted into equity shares and a not-for-profit company 'Young India' was formed, with Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi among its board members, Khera said.
"Since it was a not-for-profit company, the board directors were not entitled for a salary, share of dividends and profits, and so, there was nothing illegal in it," he said.
When the Election Commission said it was not illegal, then what problem does the BJP have? Khera asked.