Congress workers protesting outside the party’s headquarters in Delhi were detained by police on Wednesday as demonstrations escalated nationwide in response to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet against senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case.
The protest is part of a broader, coordinated campaign launched by the Congress Party against what it alleges is the misuse of central agencies by the BJP-led government to target opposition leaders. Demonstrations were held across the country, with senior Congress leaders taking aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accusing him of orchestrating political vendettas.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate lashed out at the ED’s move, calling it “vendetta politics” driven by fear of the growing strength of the Congress. “This is Narendra Modi’s vendetta politics. Rahul Gandhi has exposed the Prime Minister on many fronts, and this baseless case is a desperate attempt to suppress his voice,” Shrinate told ANI. She also questioned the legitimacy of the money laundering charges, stating that not a single rupee or asset had been transferred.
“This is a 12-year-old case being revived just now, with a bogus chargesheet alleging money laundering when Young India is a non-profit and no money was ever laundered. It shows how desperate the government is,” she added.
Echoing similar sentiments, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, “This is clearly a politically motivated case. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are being purposefully targeted to silence the opposition. But we trust the judiciary and will fight this battle legally and fearlessly.”
Congress national spokesperson Ragini Nayak also took a swipe at the Prime Minister, saying, “When Modi is scared, the ED, CBI, and police are deployed. Despite all their efforts, these agencies haven’t managed to prove their allegations against the opposition. How can a non-profit body with no financial transactions be accused of money laundering?”
As protests intensify, the Congress has vowed to continue its agitation, alleging that institutions meant to uphold the law are being systematically weaponized to stifle dissent and weaken democratic opposition.