We are not going to be scared, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday as he linked the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s move against former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) session in Ahmedabad. Kharge also announced a major “save the Constitution” campaign across India starting this month.
In its charge sheet released on April 15, the federal agency named Gandhis as accused, and revealed that Young Indian Private Limited (YI) — a non-profit company in which Gandhis together own 76% – received donations worth ₹18.12 crore from various persons or entities “which are not found to be genuine”. ED also alleged that Gandhis are the “beneficial owners” of all the properties of AJL – estimated to have current market value of ₹5,000 crore – after it was taken over in 2010-11 by YI. The Congress has termed the charge sheet “political vendetta”.
Addressing the party leaders during a meeting with general secretaries, in-charges and frontal organisations, Kharge dismissed the charge sheet as a “big conspiracy”.
“You must have noticed how, as part of a big conspiracy, the names of CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha’s Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi have been charge-sheeted in the National Herald case. But no matter whose name is put, we are not going to be scared,” he said.
He added: “Young Indian is a ‘not for profit’ company. This means that no one can take or transfer the shares, property or profit of AJL. The people of BJP are misleading people by telling lies. We have to tell the truth to the public.”
“It cannot be a mere coincidence that on one hand our AICC session is being held in Ahmedabad and immediately after that such a big action is being taken by ED. Let me remind you here that when the AICC plenary was held in Raipur under my leadership, Modi got our leaders raided by using ED and CBI to fail it. His intention was to prevent the session from taking place. Yet it took place,” Kharge said. He also pointed out that the Congress’ bank accounts were frozen before the Lok Sabha elections, “yet the public doubled our strength in the Lok Sabha. Our fight will not weaken,” he said.
According to two leaders present in the meeting, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in the meeting that in the National Herald case, there is no point in explaining technical and legal points. Instead, she suggested, the party should highlight how the AJL is an NGO and no one can receive any money and highlight how National Herald is an 86 year-old organisation that is still running.
Many leaders, in the meeting spoke about the RSS’s “structured programme” on Article 370, the amended Waqf Act as an assault on the Constitution and maintained that the BJP is run by the “deep state mastermind” RSS.
According to a senior participant, Kharge asked them, “Why do you people wait for direction of leadership? If you see an assault on the Constitution or our leadership, you should launch protests.”
Kharge also underlined that the Congress brought together the entire opposition against the bill to amend the Waqf Act. “The Supreme Court is hearing this case. I am happy that the Supreme Court has given importance to the points raised by the Congress and other opposition parties. Especially the issue of ‘Waqf by user’ has been brought up by the government deliberately to put the Waqf properties in controversy. We are confident that we will win this battle too.”
“In this case, the government and BJP leaders left no stone unturned to spread rumours and confuse people. We have to go among the people and make them aware of our side and expose the conspiracy of the BJP. Apart from this, there are many burning issues before the country, which we have to keep raising. We have to continue working in a planned manner. We will also listen to your suggestions and then decide the future strategy,” he said.
Later, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told reporters: “Samvidhan Bachao (Save the Constitution) rally will be organized in all states from 25 to 30 April. Then from May 3 to 10, Samvidhan bachao rallies will be organized in all districts and then from May 11 to 17, rallies will be held in every assembly constituency. May 22-30 ghar ghar (every home) samvidhan bachao programme will be organised.”