Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 16: Reacting to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet in the National Herald case, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi has stated that the matter has no connection with the current government, as it was initiated well before the Narendra Modi-led government came to power in 2014. He advised the Congress party to refrain from politicising the issue.

The ED has filed its first chargesheet in the high-profile National Herald money laundering case, naming senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Sam Pitroda, among others. The chargesheet was submitted before the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi, which is set to hear arguments on April 25.

Responding to allegations from Congress leaders accusing the government of using central agencies for political vendetta, Trivedi clarified, "This case was filed in 2012, and a PIL led the Delhi High Court to begin proceedings in October 2013—well before the BJP government assumed office at the Centre. There is absolutely no basis for the Congress to claim political targeting."

Trivedi termed the National Herald matter a rare case in India’s history. “A company with assets worth thousands of crores was taken over for a liability of just Rs 90 crore. Seventy-six percent of the shares were held by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The Congress must answer how a company founded by freedom fighters and linked to Pandit Nehru ended up in this situation,” he questioned.

He also pointed out that shareholders were reportedly not consulted before the transfer, despite their rights. “If Congress ruled the country for nearly six decades, how did the three newspapers associated with the party and established by Nehru run into losses and shut down? Was there no support from successive Congress governments?” he asked.

Trivedi further questioned the party’s claim of emotional attachment to the National Herald. “The case demonstrates how hollow and politically motivated those claims are,” he remarked.

The BJP MP also used the occasion to highlight the achievements of the Modi-led government. “Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took charge, the focus has been on technological advancement and economic development. Initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and promotion of indigenous defence manufacturing reflect the government's vision for a strong, self-reliant India,” he added.