Congress targets Modi government over National Herald raids, says BJP treating it as 'terrorists'

The searches at National Herald, subsequent sealing of an office and deployment of police personnel near party office gave fresh ammunition to the Congress on Wednesday to fire at the Narendra Modi government inside and outside Parliament, with the main Opposition party accusing the ruling BJP of treating its leaders as terrorists.

Congress said the government has created a “siege mentality”, as police barricade roads leading to the party headquarters and deployed police personnel there and near the residences of party president Sonia Gandhi and former president Rahul Gandhi, who were questioned in connection with a money laundering case involving National Herald.

While the searches at the Herald House here were raised in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the sealing of Young Indian’s office in building and deployment of police near Congress office angered the leaders, who said the government was trying to intimidate them but they would not be cowed down.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh told a press conference that the latest action came as the party announced a gherao of the Prime Minister’s residence on August 5 to highlight the country facing price rise. “This is to force us to stop protesting on Friday against price rise. We will not flee, we will not bend,” he said.

Read | ED raids National Herald headquarters, 11 more places in Delhi

Shiv Sena Deputy Leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also demanded a discussion on the functioning of ED and other agencies, citing the arrest of her party MP Sanjay Raut earlier this week. However, Naidu did not admit the notices by them and others.

Lok Sabha witnessed vociferous protests on National Herald as well as other issues. Trinamool Congress' Sougata Ray raised the issue of a team of West Bengal CID not allowed to conduct a search operation at a property in connection with the seizure of money from three Jharkhand MLAs.

Congress MPs rushed to the Well of the House as the House assembled and the same scenes repeated whenever it reconvened. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury tried to raise the issue of investigation into the National Herald newspaper but was disallowed by the chair.

Chowdhury told reporters that Congress MPs were not being allowed to raise the issue of alleged "misuse" of the ED by the Centre in Parliament.

"We had given three adjournment motion notices to raise the issue of misuse of the ED. The ruling party is not allowing us to raise this issue. Why is the government scared of us putting our point in Parliament?" he said.

"Today, the voice of freedom struggle, the National Herald, its image is being tarnished with an ill-intent. The ED is being misused and a conspiracy has been hatched against us. He said the Congress and all other Opposition parties are being harassed and Opposition governments are being destabilised through the misuse of ED," he said.