BJP’s Dilip Saikia Hits Out at Congress on National Herald Row

Assam BJP President and Member of Parliament Dilip Saikia on Tuesday issued a strong statement condemning the Indian National Congress for staging protests against the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet in the ongoing National Herald case involving senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Saikia asserted that the National Herald case is progressing through the proper legal channels and emphasized that while Sonia and Rahul Gandhi have not been imprisoned, they remain under active judicial scrutiny. “The Congress’s protest is not only unwarranted but undermines the principles of a stable, law-abiding society,” he stated.

He further alleged that both leaders have repeatedly failed over the last four years to provide satisfactory explanations to the investigative agencies. “Although peaceful protest is a democratic right, it cannot be used as a shield for those accused of misappropriating public assets,” Saikia remarked.

Recalling the history of the National Herald, Saikia pointed out that the newspaper was launched in 1937 with contributions from nearly 5,000 shareholders and was never intended to be treated as personal property by the Nehru-Gandhi family. He noted that publication ceased in 2008, after which the Congress party extended a ₹90 crore loan to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the original publisher.

According to Saikia, when AJL failed to repay the loan, its assets were effectively acquired by Young Indian, a company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each hold a 38% stake. He highlighted that Young Indian subsequently took control of several prime real estate assets—including properties on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in New Delhi and others in Mumbai, Lucknow, Bhopal, and Patna—worth thousands of crores. Despite being registered as a non-profit organization, Saikia claimed, Young Indian has not undertaken any visible charitable work to date.

The BJP leader underscored that the ED investigation began following a private complaint and has proceeded under court supervision. “Unlike the Congress, which is perhaps accustomed to manipulating institutions during its long years in power, the BJP has never misused any government agency,” he asserted.

Saikia also pointed out that the case was first registered in 2013, during the tenure of the UPA government, rendering Congress’s allegations of political vendetta baseless.

Concluding his statement, Saikia said, “The people of India recognize the truth and will not support the misappropriation of national resources. Congress’s attempt to shield the Gandhi family, who are facing serious allegations of financial impropriety, is not only unjustifiable but borders on the absurd.”