All is set for a first class political storm with the mother-son duo of India’s first political family having to appear in court at 3 pm today. Though the National Herald case, in which Sonia and Rahul have received court summons, is a personal matters, the Family and the Congress party are making sure they milk it to further their politics. Coming right on the back of a good performance in the Gujarat local polls after 15 years in the wilderness, and being part of the winning coalition in Bihar, the Congress sees an opportunity for a political comeback. A Delhi court last week directed Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party vice president Rahul Gandhi and five others accused in the National Herald case to appear before it on 19 December. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi’s legal team will appear before court armed with bail bonds, newspaper reports have confirmed. The Gandhis’ legal team figured that “it will serve no purpose” if they don’t seek bail because the case is “politically motivated,” reports The Indian Express.
“Make sure all the accused appear on 19 December. I am giving exemption from personal appearance only for today. Don’t come in the morning on 19 December,” Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen said after hearing submissions at the Patiala House Courts during the last hearing. [caption id=“attachment_2552414” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Patiala House Court. Image courtesy: Tarique Anwar/Firstpost[/caption] The government has been attacking Congress for seeking a “remedy from Parliament” for “something that happened during a judicial process” and has been suggesting that the main Opposition party was doing it to block the passage of key reform measures including GST, they said. Congress leaders insist that Subramanian Swamy, who filed the case, is just a front — even though Swamy was not part of the BJP in 2011 when he first filed the case — and and the real strings are being pulled from 7, RCR. The National Herald was a newspaper that India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru helped set up in pre-Independence India in the year 1938. It was part of a company called Associated Journals Limited, which was funded by the Congress. An article
in Mint quotes
a biographer of Nehru as saying that he found himself being unable to make an impact on the ‘reactionary tendencies’ in the Congress, after which the National Herald was started. However, as the article pointed out, it faced financial difficulties throughout its existence. The newspaper officially closed down in April 2008. According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), a private non-profit company ‘Young Indian’ was formed in March 2011, with Sonia and Rahul holding 38 percent of the shares each, allegedly with the specific aim of taking over the liabilities of AJL. In 2012, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint before a court.
Swamy accused Congress leaders
of being involved in cheating through the acquisition of AJL by Young Indian Pvt Ltd. He alleged that YIL paid merely Rs 50 lakh to recover an amount of Rs 90.25 crore that AJL owed to the Congress. As
Sanjay Singh of Firstpost
points out, going by the current value of the properties of National Herald, the scam could be to the tune of anywhere between Rs 1,600 crore and Rs 5,000 crore. The case has seen several twists and turns in the recent past. In August, reports had suggested that the ED had decided to close the case, citing lack of substantive evidence against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. However, ED director Rajan S Katoch was removed from service after the reports to that effect surfaced. (Katoch was, however, on his second extension.) In September, the ED decided to reopen the case. The Delhi High Court has now rejected the plea filed by the Gandhis challenging the summons, which means that they will have to appear before the court unless the order is set aside. As of now, a Delhi court has asked them to appear on 19 December and exempted them from personal appearances on 8 December.
National Herald Case Live: Won't fear Modi despite false accusations against us, says Rahul
Though the National Herald case, in which Sonia and Rahul have received court summons, is a personal matters, the Family and the Congress party are making sure they milk it to further their politics.
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Modi putting false accusations against us: Rahul Gandhi
“I respect the law. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is putting false accusations against us. He is thinking that we will bow down before them. I want to tell every citizen that we will not be scared. We will not move back an inch. But i want to tell them we won’t bow down or be scared and will continue to work for the poor,” Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi to reporters.
Centre targetting opposition parties: Sonia Gandhi
Today we did what any law-abiding citizen should do. The laws applies to everyone. I have no doubt that the truth will come out. I appeared in the court with a clear mind. I believe that the law is applicable to all equaly. There is no question of any fear and favour. The current central government is knowingly targetting the opposition parties by using government agencies. We are not scared of anyone. We will fight their agenda with the ideologies of the Congress," Congress president Sonia Gandhi to reporters.
Congressmen are purchasable by a house, I am a Sanyasi: Swamy
“Both the trial court and high court have rejected the notion that it is a personal malice against the Gandhis. In fact, the whole country is happy that I brought them to the court. This is a victory for democracy. Gandhis not exonerated from the National Herald case,’’ Swamy to CNN-IBN.
It is a desparate and stupid move to try and bring ALJ as a section 8 company. They will end up in deeper mess,” he said.
“I don’t need support from anyone in the party, I know the law better than my colleagues,“Swamy said.
No one has approached me from the government regarding this case. I meet people from the government, the prime minister off and on and no one has said a word about this case,” he said.
“There is no question of compromise,” the BJP leader said.
“Congressmen are purchasable by a house, I am a Sanyasi,” Swamy said.
Rajendra Khatry writes from Chandigarh
Haryana Congress leaders today staged protests in different parts of Haryana and Delhi while some leaders walked along with Congress president and vice president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to the Patiala House Court.
Speaking to Firstpost, Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar said he has been protesting in the entire state since yesterday against the BJP government’s vendetta politics. “I am in Gurgaon with my team of Congressmen to stage a peaceful protest. Today the protests are focused in Gurgaon and other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR),’’ said Tanwar.
Former Haryana cabinet Minister Kiran Choudhary said she is in Delhi at the AICC office and has now gone to the Patiala House Court along with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others. Congress national spokesman, Randeep Singh Surjewala who was also present on the spot, charged the BJP of playing vendetta politics.
Former Haryana Power minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav said they have been protesting in their Rewari area agains the BJP. “My son, Chiranjiv Rao, former Congress Youth Congress President burnt effigy of Prime Minster Narendra Modi. There is nothing in the case. Swamy is dancing to the tunes of the BJP,’’ Capt Yadav told Firstpost.
Haryana Congress spokesman Rann Singh Mann said the entire party is solidly behind Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. “I am in Delhi and going to the court where our leaders have been summoned. The dirty vendetta politics of the ruling party must end,’’ said Mann.
Senior Congress leader and former media incharge, Pawan Jain said no agitation was being held in Chandigarh, but protests have been going since yesterday all over the state against the BJP’s move to implicate the Congress president in the National Herald case.
Sonia, Rahul get instant bail, next hearing set on 20 February
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul Gandhi were granted unconditional bail on personal bond of Rs 50000 as the court set the next date of hearing on 20 February at 2pm when the accused has been directed to be present.
Congress lawyer Kapil Sibal, who present in the court during proceedings, said complainant Subramanian Swamy opposed the bail, requesting for some conditions to be set.
BJP leader Swamy suggested that the passports of the accused should be impounded but the court ignored his request.
Congress lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi added: “It is sad that Swamy had asked for such a condition against people who are such prominent personalities. We are thankful that the court rejected Swamy’s request.”
“The Gandhis have not asked for future exemptions from court appearance,” said Sibal.
Unfortuanate action by Swamy: Singhvi
“As I told you yesterday there was no need to create hype and hoopla. It was an unfortuanate action by Swamy,” says Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Kapil Sibal to reporters outside Patiala House Court
“We moved an application in the Patiala House Court on behalf of all the accused and the court was kind enough to grant them bail without any conditions except for furnishing security of Rs 50,000 bail bond each.
swamy urged the court to impose travel restrictions by seizing the passports but the court declined the request.
Next hearing is on 20 February at 2 pm and we are going to appear.”
Sonia and Rahul walk to court, a picture that will play on TV screen for a long time
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi preferred to get off from their vehicles on the C-Hexagon road, the road that encircles India Gate in New Delhi, and walk a few paces into the court premises hugging the road. As they walked together, looking relaxed and smiling, photographers and video graphers got a clear view of the two-some, suggesting that the Family carefully planned this moment. It wanted the visuals to be captured for posterity and for political use later. The optics of mother and son, the most politically privileged two-some in the country, walking into court, submitting themselves to the courts of law, is intending to send a message of their modesty and respect for the law. These images are sure to play on TV screens for a long time and the Congress, it seems, didn’t want to lose the opportunity to milk this event. That’s why Sonia Gandhi at one point, even fell a step behind Rahul, while trying to oblige a call from photographers.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi at the Patiala House Court.
National Herald hearing begins in court
Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi arrive at Patiala House Court
TV reports confirmed that Congress spokesperson Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi arrived at the Patiala House Court.
Meanwhile, reports say that while senior Congress leaders came out in support of Sonia and Rahul, Subramanian Swamy was seen standing alone inside the court. Junior lawyers were waiting outside the court.
Tarique Anwar reports from the Patiala House Court
Priyanka Gandhi, Meera Kumar, Mallika Arjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Oscar Fernandes, Motilal Vohra and Dinesh Singh reached the court.
Scene shifts from Akbar Road to Patiala House court
After brief confabulations at Ghulam Nabi Azad’s house, senior Congress leaders have started leaving for the Patiala House courts. Lawyers Kapil Sibal, Ashwani Kumar and Abhishek Manu Singhvi just arrived at the court. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul, accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi, have left their homes for the Patiala House Court.
The three will aruge the case on behalf of the family. Sonia and Rahul are expected to leave for the court in a short while. A batter of top Congress leaders, including Manmohan Singh, Ahmed Patel, are expected to accompany them. Their nemesis Subramanian Swamy, is already in the court.
Ajay Singh writes
Contrast today’s situation with a similar situation in November 2004 when Kanchi Shankracharya Jayendra Saraswati was arrested by the Jaylalithaa government on a range of criminal charges. In an overt display ‘righteous indignation’, the BJP which lost 2004 Lok Sabha elections mobilised Hindu sadhus and spiritual gurus across the country and LK Advani led to day-long dharna at Parliament Street. The dharna was also joined by controversial godman Asaram Bapu.
The whole show, though attracted crowds, turned out to be nothing but an expression of the BJP’s inability to reconcile with the defeat. Subsequently, the whole movement faded out.
The prosecution of the Shankaracharya and the subsequent revelations embarrassed the BJP. The manner in which the Congress has been seeking to build a political movement out of cases of criminal nature is akin to the BJP’s petulant conduct after the defeat of 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Given the nature of the case, the issue is hardly getting traction among people. It is mobilising party cadres from neighbouring states, but the muscle-flexing does not seem to be the right strategy for reviving its fortune.
Patiala House turns into a fortress
As the crucial meeting at Azad’s residence comes to an end, Patiala House Court is abuzz with activity. Subramanian Swamy arrived at the court and was seen “standing alone with junior lawyers” inside the court. Priyanka Gandhi arrived at the court as well but did not respond to any media questions.
Cavalcade from Azad’s house has left, TV channels reported. Manmohan Singh will be putting up the bail for Sonia Gandhi, latest reports say. Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Ashwini Kumar arrived inside the courtroom and waiting for Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Crucial Congress meeting ends
Swamy reaches Patiala House Court