Escalating his attack on the Congress, Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy on Saturday approached the Election Commission (EC) and sought de-recognition of the party for allegedly violating income tax laws by giving a Rs 90-crore interest-free loan to a media house called Associated Journals Ltd (AJPL).
In his petition, Swamy said the loan given by the Congress to AJPL was “in violation of the guidelines and rules to be mandatorily followed by political parties for registration as well as recognition” and appealed to the poll body “to de-recognise the Indian National Congress.”
Swamy on Thursday also accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of “fraudulently” acquiring property of the publishing house worth Rs 1,600 crore. Swamy approached the EC after he alleged that the Congress had accepted the “loan crime.”
Unfazed by the events, Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said the party was ready to face any challenge at any forum. “Whatever comes, we will contest it,” Dwivedi said, when asked to respond about Swamy’s petition.
Hitting back at Swamy and the BJP, Dwivedi asked, “Since the loan was interest-free, how can it be for commercial purpose?” He stressed that “National Herald was started by Nehru during the Freedom Movement, Hence, it was an emotional issue for us and we fulfilled our political dharma by extending support.”
Dwivedi said money was given to help “National Herald,” which was in a crisis and 700 of its employees in Delhi and Lucknow were going through a bad phase.
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