Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday was quizzed for around eight hours by the Enforcement Directorate office in the national capital in connection with the money laundering case involving the National Herald newspaper.
The Congress MP arrived at ED headquarters at around 12:30 pm on Thursday. Slamming the Centre government over the ED summon, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said, “This is pure harassment. Modi government has created this drama before Congress’s protest rally tomorrow in all states against inflation, unemployment and GST on edibles… many security forces were deployed yesterday outside Sonia Gandhi’s residence and AICC’s headquarters.
Earlier in the day, Kharge informed the Rajya Sabha that the Enforcement Directorate had issued summons against him amid ongoing proceedings of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, accusing the Central government of attempting to intimidate the Congress party.
The ED has asked Kharge to appear before it in a money laundering case linked to the National Herald. Interim party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have already been questioned in the case over alleged evasion of tax.
Kharge stated while speaking during the Question Hour session of the Rajya Sabha.
“I received ED summon, they called me at 12.30 pm. I want to abide by the law, but is it right for them to summon when Parliament is in session? Is it right for the Police to gherao residences of Sonia Gandhi & Rahul Gandhi? They are doing it purposely to afraid of us (Congress). We won’t be scared, we’ll fight,” Kharge said.
Responding to Kharge’s complaint, the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal said the Centre has nothing to do with it. “The government does not interfere in the work of the law enforcement authorities.
Perhaps during their tenure, when their government was there, they might be interfering,” Goyal said The union minister said that said law enforcement agencies were doing their job and acting against those who have done anything wrong.
ED on Wednesday partially sealed the offices of Young India Limited — the firm that owns Associated Journals, which runs the outlet—at Herald House in Delhi.
The probe agency took action a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out raids at 12 locations in the national capital and at other places in connection with the National Herald case in which top Congress leaders are accused of violating norms.
Mallikarjun Kharge is the authorised representative for the company, and the sealing had to be done as he wasn’t there.
NOT SCARED OF PM MODI: RAHUL
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday termed the sealing of the Young Indian office at the Herald House building as an “intimidation attempt” by the ruling BJP and asserted that he is “not scared” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s suppressive government. Speaking to the reporters here, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, “You are talking about National Herald, it’s an intimidation attempt. They think they will be able to silence us with a little pressure…We won’t be intimidated. We are not scared of Narendra Modi. They can do whatever they want…”
“We are not afraid of Narendra Modi. Do whatever they want to do – it won’t make any difference. I will continue to do the work of protecting the country, protecting democracy and maintaining brotherhood in the country. We are not afraid,” tweeted the Congress quoting Rahul Gandhi.