Sonia Gandhi appears for ED questioning; Congress says govt considers Oppn as enemies
After Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with a money laundering case related to the National Herald newspaper. The Congress, meanwhile, hit out at the government saying it considers Opposition parties as enemies.
Several Opposition parties too rallied behind the Congress and issued a joint statement accusing the Narendra Modi government of having “unleashed a relentless campaign of vendetta against its political opponents and critics through the mischievous misuse of investigative agencies”.
Interestingly, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, which joined a meeting of Opposition parties called by the Congress at Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s Parliament chamber to coordinate the floor strategy, was a signatory to the joint statement.
“Prominent leaders of a number of political parties have been deliberately targeted and subjected to harassment in an unprecedented manner. We condemn this and resolve to continue and intensify our collective fight against the anti-people, anti-farmers and anti-Constitution policies of the Modi sarkar that is destroying the social fabric of our society,” the statement said.
The signatories include the leaders of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Communist Party of India (Marxist), TRS, Shiv Sena, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Communist Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Indian Union Muslim League, National Conference and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Interestingly, the Opposition parties were largely silent when Rahul was called for questioning last month.
Senior Congress leaders, including Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, were at 24, Akbar Road headquarters in solidarity with Gandhi. Addressing a press conference, Gehlot accused the BJP-led government of viewing every Opposition party as its enemy.
“There are no enemies in politics. But they consider the Opposition as enemies. Recently in Hyderabad, Modi spoke about regional parties…he talked about dynasties. They were talking about Congress-mukt Bharat earlier. Now their mantra is Opposition-mukt Bharat so that there is dictatorship in India. The country is moving forward in that direction,” he said.
