BJP misusing ED for political vendetta: MPCC chief
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 16 2025: As elsewhere in the country, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) also staged protest against the filing of charge sheet in the National Herald case against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), in front of ED's state office at Sangakpham on Wednesday.

During the protest, CLP leader and former CM O Ibobi, MPCC president K Meghachandra, ex-MP Dr Th Meinya and party workers shouted various slogans denouncing the ED actions.

Speaking on the sidelines of protest, K Meghachandra condemned the alleged misuse of the ED's office by BJP leaders in pursuance of political vendetta against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and other senior party member.

BJP misusing ED for political vendetta: MPCC chief

Meghachandra pointed out that the Congress had already clarified that none of its members made any investment in the National Herald case.

He said, "The BJP is engaging in vendetta politics and bulldozing the opposition Congress.

We are staging a protest against the arbitrary and unjust seizure of the assets of the National Herald and the filing of a chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate".

The state Congress chief condemned the alleged employment of the ED as a tool of the BJP, stating that such intimidation and political vendetta are against the principle of democracy.

He said that intimidating political parties and attempting to imprison its senior members is challenging democracy itself, and strongly condemned the Modi-led BJP government for the same.

In the same vein, CLP leader O Ibobi condemned the wrong interpretation of AJL journal and the charge sheet against the two Congress leaders, stating: "If no evidence can be provided in the court of law to support the claims made against the party leaders, then they cannot be punished or accused of being involved in the National Herald case".

Ibobi continued that threatening the leaders of the opposition political parties is simply a political vendetta, and highly condemnable.

"Sonia Gandhi has been unnecessarily summoned and harassed multiple times by central agencies.

We will not tolerate this.

Justice will come as the trial progresses - they will not find anything.

We strongly condemn this misuse of power.

If the ED and CBI are used as political instruments, democracy has no meaning.

Justice will ultimately prevail," Ibobi said.

Demonstrators raised slogans against the BJP government and the ED's actions, demanding an end to what they called politically motivated targeting of opposition leaders.

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonja Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and others before a special court in New Delhi in the National Herald case accusing them of allegedly laundering Rs 988 crore.

The prosecution complaint filed on April 9 under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) named Sonia Gandhi, a former Congress president, as the accused no 1, and her son and MP Rahul Gandhi, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, as the accused no 2 .