Why Are Congress Workers Protesting Against ED in Rajasthan?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Protest led by Govind Singh Dotasra against alleged ED harassment.
- Congress emphasizes the misuse of constitutional institutions.
- National Herald's history tied to India's fight against colonial rule.
- Congress vows to resist authoritarianism.
- Demonstrations held across Rajasthan against BJP-led government.
Jaipur, Dec 17 (NationPress) Congress workers in Rajasthan, led by state chief Govind Singh Dotasra, marched to surround the BJP headquarters in Jaipur, demanding arrest in protest against the ED. They accused the agency of harassing and intimidating opposition leaders.
Among the attendees were Leader of the Opposition Tika Ram Jully, Congress MLAs, District Congress Committee Presidents, senior party officials, and a substantial number of supporters.
During the address, Govind Singh Dotasra claimed that ever since the BJP assumed power at the Centre, constitutional institutions have been systematically abused to silence opposition voices, constituting a direct attack on democratic principles.
He highlighted that, based on a politically charged and unfounded complaint from BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, the ED initiated proceedings against senior Congress figures Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, subjecting them to unnecessary and extended questioning.
“BJP leaders have consistently made false and misleading accusations against Congress and its leadership for narrow political profits,” he remarked.
Dotasra emphasized that the court did not find it suitable to acknowledge the ED charge sheet in the National Herald case, clearly revealing the political animus behind the misuse of constitutional agencies.
He recalled that the National Herald newspaper was established in 1937 by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to represent the nation’s voice against British colonialism. For this purpose, Associated Journals Limited (AJL) was set up as a public-interest entity, ensuring no individual could benefit personally.
“When AJL later encountered financial challenges in meeting employee salaries and retirement benefits, the Congress party provided a loan of Rs 90 crore to sustain this historic institution,” he added.
He also noted that as AJL was unable to repay the loan, a non-profit company, Young Indian Limited, was established, and shares equivalent to the loan amount were transferred to settle AJL’s debts.
“Neither AJL nor Young Indian Limited could distribute profits to individuals, nor could AJL’s assets be liquidated. In reality, AJL owned only one property in Lucknow, while other locations were rented. Despite this, the Modi government, fueled by political vendetta, initiated proceedings against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,” he stated.
He added that the ED case could not withstand judicial examination, and the court rejected the charge sheet, further exposing the BJP’s misuse of authority to target opposition leaders.
Dotasra asserted that Congress leaders and supporters, under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, will persist in their fearless fight to uphold democracy and the Constitution.
He mentioned that regardless of how much the BJP exploits constitutional bodies, Congress will engage in a determined struggle against the authoritarian tendencies of the BJP government at the Centre, similar to their fight against British rule during India's independence movement.
Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary and Media Chairperson, Swarnim Chaturvedi, stated that in protest against the ongoing harassment of top Congress leadership through the misuse of agencies like the ED, District Congress Committees organized demonstrations against the BJP-led Central Government across all district headquarters in Rajasthan.