Political showdown over ED chargesheet against Gandhis: Congress holds nationwide protests, BJP hits back at financial misconduct

New Delhi [India], April 16 (ANI): A political showdown erupted between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) prosecution complaint against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money laundering case.
The Congress party on Wednesday held a nationwide protest against the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate. Congress leaders launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing it of plotting "political vendetta" against the Gandhi family. In response, BJP leaders levelled corruption allegations and claimed that the Congress party was protecting the Gandhi family from accountability.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the central government of "unnecessarily troubling" Congress leaders after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a chargesheet against party leaders Rahul and Sonia Gandhi in connection with the National Herald case.
"There is nothing in the case. It was shut down for some time due to financial troubles. Sonia Gandhi tried to revive it with loans and donations. Now, they say that it is wrong to take a loan. BJP is working against the law. What is wrong is wrong, and we will prove it. Our protests will be held nationwide, and we want to tell the people that we are being troubled unnecessarily," the Rajya Sabha MP said.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi called the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) chargesheet against Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald money laundering case, the "vendetta in a legal disguise."
Singhvi said the ED should clarify why they haven't investigated any NDA ally or BJP leader.
Addressing a joint press conference with fellow Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, Singhvi said, "This is nothing but vendetta in legal disguise. ED should answer why no NDA ally or BJP leader has ever been touched by the ED. Selective justice is nothing but political thuggery."
Ramesh also accused the BJP of using the National Herald case to "divert attention" from the "economic crisis". He also called the ED's chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, the "politics of Harassment and revenge."
"This is an attempt to divert attention from the economic crisis we are facing. The issues of the people, related to economic situation, foreign policy, America, China, Bangladesh, the challenges we are facing in foreign policy and economic situation, they will not be allowed to be discussed inside and outside the Parliament, so they (BJP) has made an attempt to divert attention from these issues. This is only the politics of Harassment and revenge," he said.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders, including Ravi Shankar Prasad and Ashwini Vaishnaw, accused the Gandhis of financial misconduct and misappropriation of public property.
BJP leaders signalled they will continue to defend the ED's actions and counter what they call "misinformation by the Congress".
BJP leader Ashwini Vaishnaw slammed the Congress for launching protests against the Centre and investigative agencies following the ED chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case and accused the party of engaging in "low-level politics" and urged it to take responsibility for the "corruption."
Speaking to ANI, Vaishnaw said, "In the National Herald, they are doing politics of a very low level. This is not a political issue, it is a case of corruption. Congress should own it."
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya also attacked Congress leaders over the National Herald case, saying that they are acting "like a slave of the Gandhi family."
"The Congress party is acting like a slave of the Gandhi family. The Constitution is the same for all 140 crore people of the country. There was a huge scam, huge corruption in the National Herald case, the investigation of which began during the Congress government's regime itself. The investigation agencies should be allowed to do their work", Keshav Prasad Maurya told ANI.
On Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) against top Congressmen Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in connection with the National Herald money laundering case. The chargesheet also names Congress leader Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and others, including several firms.
The matter has been listed for arguments on cognisance in the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court on April 25. The prosecution complaint has been filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, for the offence of money laundering, as defined under Section 3, read with Section 70, and punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA, 2002. (ANI)