INDIA. Delhi: Amid demonstrations protesting the ED’s summons of Sonia Gandhi in an alleged money laundering case, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was taken into custody by the Delhi Police.
Other party leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Ranjeet Ranjan, KC Venugopal, Manickam Tagore, Imran Pratapgarhi, and K Suresh, were also detained.
Speaking at the protests, Rahul stated, “All (Congress) MPs came here. They talked about inflation and unemployment. They (Police) are not allowing us to sit here. Discussions are not allowed inside (Parliament) and here they are arresting us.”
Congress members gathered at Mallikarjun Kharge’s office on the grounds of Parliament to march against the grilling by the ED.
The Enforcement Directorate has summoned party president Sonia Gandhi in connection with a money laundering case involving the National Herald newspaper, and the Congress said on Tuesday that it will hold a “satyagraha” across the nation to protest this.
“It is very unfortunate that the Government of India has refused to give permission to us to stage a satyagraha. It is the same BJP which organised a protest on June 5, 2015, in support of Baba Ramdev in 2005,” Maken said.
“If the principal opposition party in the country is not allowed to stage a satyagraha, then it amounts to murder of democracy. Where will democracy survive?” Maken said.
Democracy comprises both the ruling party and the opposition and how will democracy survive if one of its wheels is “disallowed” to stage a protest at Rajghat, he asked.
On Tuesday, Sonia Gandhi arrived at the ED headquarters in New Delhi for a second round of interrogation regarding the money laundering case involving the National Herald. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were with her.
Sonia was questioned by the ED for two hours on July 21 before she requested to halt the session for the day since she was still recovering from COVID-19.
The agency’s case was founded on a trial court judgement that gave the Income Tax Department permission to investigate the activities of the National Herald newspaper and evaluate Sonia and Rahul Gandhi’s taxes.
The decision followed a 2013 petition from BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, who claimed that the Gandhis had purchased the newspaper through deception and financial misappropriation.
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