Bansuri Swaraj Makes Headlines at JPC Meeting with 'National Herald Ki Loot' Bag Targeting Gandhis

New Delhi, April 22 (NationPress) BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj stirred the political scene on Tuesday during the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on 'One Nation One Election' at the Parliament Annexe. She entered the meeting carrying a tote bag boldly printed with 'National Herald Ki Loot'.

This striking statement reignited the BJP's fervent criticism of the Congress party regarding the long-running National Herald controversy.

The message on the bag drew considerable attention and was interpreted as a pointed critique aimed at the Congress, currently embroiled in a legal struggle with the BJP over allegations of financial misconduct related to the now-defunct National Herald newspaper.

Swaraj did not hold back her accusations, claiming the Congress party engaged in serious misconduct and exploited media institutions.

"This is the first instance where a scam has involved the fourth pillar of democracy -- the media. It is tragic that public property valued at Rs 2000 crore has been seized by the Congress party and its senior leaders for a mere Rs 50 lakh," she stated, highlighting what she deemed a "grave betrayal of public trust."

She further alleged that Congress leadership misappropriated assets belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the original publisher of the National Herald, by transforming public trusts into private assets.

"The Young India Limited company is 76% owned by the Gandhi family. This exemplifies the Congress's age-old mentality where, under the guise of service, they misuse power to convert public property into personal assets," she asserted.

Her comments were framed against the backdrop of recent developments in the National Herald case, where the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a chargesheet against notable Congress figures, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

The chargesheet submitted to Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court accuses them of laundering Rs 988 crore under various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

"The ED has filed four charge sheets. The senior leadership of Congress is accountable and must respond to the voters of this country and the court on April 25," Swaraj remarked.

The National Herald, founded by Jawaharlal Nehru and other prominent leaders in 1938, was intended to represent a liberal perspective within the Indian National Congress.

Published by AJL, the National Herald served as a vital instrument for Congress during the independence struggle and the years thereafter. In addition to the English edition, AJL also published newspapers in Hindi and Urdu.

However, the publication halted operations in 2008 due to accumulating debts exceeding Rs 90 crore.

The controversy surrounding its assets gained traction in 2012 when BJP leader Subramanian Swamy lodged a complaint in a trial court, claiming that Congress leaders had committed fraud and breached trust during the acquisition of AJL.

According to Swamy, the firm Young Indian Ltd -- in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are majority stakeholders -- gained control of the newspaper's substantial assets through a "malicious" takeover intended to benefit party leadership personally.

The renewed focus on the National Herald case, coinciding with the high-profile JPC meeting, has once again placed the financial dealings of India's oldest political party under intense scrutiny, escalating the political confrontation in the national capital.