Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 21: Congress MP Imran Masood has strongly defended the National Herald publication, labeling it a "national legacy" and accusing "those in power" of attempting to tarnish its reputation.
Masood's comments come as the Congress party prepares to hold press conferences in 57 cities between April 21 and April 24, in response to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) chargesheet implicating Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case.
"National Herald is a treasure. It raised its voice during the independence movement. There were very few newspapers back then that truly represented the voice of the people. Congress has preserved it for decades. Those who had no role in the freedom struggle are now trying to slander it," Masood told.
He also addressed criticism of Rahul Gandhi's recent statements in the UK, where Gandhi incorrectly placed Mahatma Gandhi's train expulsion in the UK, instead of South Africa. "I believe the BJP thinks they alone are the custodians of history," Masood remarked. "They rewrite history to suit their narrative. I don’t see the need to learn history from them."
Regarding Rahul Gandhi's allegations in Boston about the Election Commission of India (ECI) being compromised, Masood asserted that Gandhi's concerns were valid. "Whatever he is saying is true. If there’s no wrongdoing, why delete the records? If there is any doubt about the Electronic Voting Machines, then those doubts should be addressed transparently," he said.
Masood also welcomed Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav's recent statement that the SP-Congress alliance would persist until 2027. "It’s a good thing. There’s nothing wrong with that," he stated.
Turning to the controversy surrounding BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma's derogatory remarks against the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, Masood argued that the BJP could not simply disassociate itself from the matter. "If Dubey claims the comments were his personal opinion, then how can the party distance itself from them? It is our responsibility to respect the Supreme Court. He should reflect on his own conduct," he stated. This contradicts reports that the BJP has distanced itself from Dubey and Sharma's remarks.