Cong protests against ED summons to Sonia

NT Correspondent
Bengaluru

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Tuesday staged a silent protest at Congress Bhavan on Tuesday against the Enforcement Directorate’s summons to All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case. The party alleged that the Narendra Modi government was misusing investigating agencies to harass Sonia Gandhi and former president Rahul Gandhi.

The protest was attended by KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah, Leader Of the Opposition in the Council B.K. Harisprasad, KPCC working president Ramalinga Reddy and other state Congress leaders. Shivakumar said the cases were a ploy to silence Opposition leaders.

“Efforts are underway in this country to silence the Opposition leaders by misusing CBI, ED and Income Tax Departments. It is as if the constitutional institutions exist to file cases against Opposition leaders. ED hasn’t filed a single case against any BJP leader,” he said.“Sonia Gandhi is recording her statement at the ED Office. All Congress members are here to give courage to her. Rahul Gandhi was questioned for 50 hours (total). Sonia Gandhi was questioned for three hours. Even so, the harassment isn’t stopping,” he added.

The KPCC president maintained that it didn’t make any sense for the ED to treat Nehru-Gandhis like the owners of the National Herald newspaper. “National Herald newspaper was the voice of the Congress. It was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru when he was the president of the party. He never said that he owned the organization. When the paper was in trouble, Congress leaders and workers came forward and gave money in the form of donations so that the staff can be paid,” Shivakumar said.

I-Day march planned Shivakumar also made the announcement that the Congress state unit members in every district of Karnataka would march 75 kilometres on the Independence Day. “On the occasion of Independence Day, there is a plan to oragnise a march of 75 kilometres in every district. On August 15, there will also be a programme, wherein at least one lakh people will march from Sangolli Rayanna Circle to Basavangudi National College carrying the national flag.”

“This is a bipartisan programme. People across parties and organisation may participate in it. The event is being organised by AICC (All India Congress Committee) to save the unity, integrity and the flag of the country,” he said.