The party’s former President Rahul Gandhi, who was in Karnataka, returned to Delhi on late Wednesday night…reports Asian Lite News
The Congress has called a meeting of all its MPs on Thursday to derive the future course of action after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sealed the Herald House in New Delhi.
The party’s former President Rahul Gandhi, who was in Karnataka, returned to Delhi on late Wednesday night and will be participate in the meeting.
The party has maintained that it will go ahead with its scheduled protest on the issue of inflation and GST on Friday despite being denied permission.
The Congress has also accused the ruling dispensation of treating the party leaders as “terrorists”.
The was after the ED sealed the office of Young Indian Pvt Ltd located in the Herald House here days after the party’s interim President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi were grilled in connection with the National Herald case.
The probe agency took action a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out raids at 12 locations in the national capital and at other places in connection with the National Herald case in which top Congress leaders are accused of violating norms.
The National Herald case pertains to the alleged financial irregularities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and was registered about nine months ago after a trial court took cognisance of an Income Tax department probe carried out on the basis of a private criminal complaint filed by former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.
The petitioner had approached the court alleging that the assets of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which published the National Herald newspaper, were fraudulently acquired and transferred to Young Indian Pvt Limited (YIL), in which Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi owned 38 per cent shares each.
Swamy had alleged that the Gandhis cheated and misappropriated funds, with YIL paying only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that AJL owed to Congress.
The raids were conducted days after the investigative agency questioned Congress interim-president Sonia Gandhi for nearly three hours on July 27. It was the third round of questioning of the senior leader in the case.
During her questioning, the Lok Sabha MP from Rae Bareli was asked about the functioning and running of the newspaper, the role of its various office bearers. Prior to that, she was also questioned by ED on July 21.
Meanwhile, in June, the ED questioned Rahul Gandhi for five days. Rahul Gandhi was questioned by the ED for over 27 hours for three straight days from June 13 to June 15 and was again summoned on June 20. On June 20, he was questioned for around 14 hours.
The Congress leader deposed before the ED investigators in the case for the first time on June 13.
Cong attacks govt in RS and LS
A day after the ED sealed Herald House, the Congress on Wednesday stepped up attack against the government and gave multiple adjournment motion notices in the Lok Sabha and suspension of business notice in the Rajya Sabha
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi gave a notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss the India-China border dispute issue. “The Union Government should clarify its stance on the restoration of status quo ante prevailing on the LAC prior to May 5, 2020 and progress made pursuant thereto.”
Manickam Tagore has given notice on unemployment in the Lok Sabha while in the Rajya Sabha the Congress has moved multiple notices under rule 267.
Rajiv Shukla has moved a notice on the medical students who returned from Ukraine soon after the Russian invasion there. Shakti Singh Gohil gave a notice on the deaths in cows due to the lumpy disease.
The government is scheduled to pass ‘The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022’ in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Power Minister R.K. Singh will move the Bill on energy conservation.
Amid the growing energy needs and changing global climate landscape, the Centre has identified new areas to achieve higher levels of penetration of renewable energy by proposing certain amendments to the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. The objective will be to enhance demand for renewable energy at the end- use sectors such as industry, buildings, transport, etc.
The Ministry of Power has prepared amendments, after consultations with stakeholders. The proposal includes defining a minimum share of renewable energy in the overall consumption by the industrial units or any establishment.