National Herald issue: Cong uses virtual world to defend Sonia, Rahul

As it battles it out in courts, the Congress has taken to the virtual world to assert that neither party president Sonia Gandhi nor her deputy Rahul Gandhi made any personal fortune out of the assets owned by National Herald publisher Associated Journals Limited. (AJL)

The Congress has posted ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ on the National Herald case on its website to rebut “baseless” allegations levelled by the BJP in the case.

Sonia and Rahul had appeared before the Patiala House Court on December 19 in connection with a complaint filed by Subramanian Swamy accusing the Congress leaders of cheating and breach of trust while acquiring AJL through Young Indian.

Swamy had claimed the acquisition by Young Indian Limited (YIL), which has Sonia and Rahul together as majority shareholders, was done with an eye on AJLs assets which run into several crores.

“All the assets and the income of AJL remain with the company. Not a single paisa has gone to YIL, YIL directors or YIL shareholders,” it said in the FAQs on its website under the heading, National Herald.

The Congress also made it clear that there was no restriction in law on political parties giving loans and the Election Commission had issued a clear order in this regard in November, 2012.

“BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had sought de-recognition of the Congress on this ground but his complaint was dismissed by a full bench order of the Election Commission” at that time, the AICC said.

Sonia and Rahul have moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the “politically motivated” criminal proceedings against them underway in lower courts. The National Herald case is scheduled to come up for hear in the Patiala House Court on February 20.
DH News Service