Jammu, Apr 17: Tensions between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress escalated over the National Herald case as both parties held protests within days of each other.
Following a Congress protest in Jammu, the J&K unit of the BJP organised a strong demonstration on Thursday, claiming that the Congress’s top leadership is embroiled in corruption and must face legal consequences.
A large number of BJP workers and leaders, including MLAs Yudhvir Sethi, Arvind Gupta, and former minister Priya Sethi, assembled at the party’s Kachi Chowni office, from where they marched through various areas of the city. They raised slogans against top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, alleging that they are deeply involved in corruption.
“Now, the time has come for the Congress top leaders to face the law and they will soon be behind bars,” Yudhvir told reporters.
He added that the Congress’s protests and allegations of “vendetta politics” are baseless, given their alleged involvement in the misappropriation of public properties allocated to the National Herald newspaper.
The MLA said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed the charge sheet against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi based on solid evidence, and that the Congress leaders would have to face imprisonment for corruption and misappropriation of public funds.
The BJP leaders slammed the Congress for labelling the ED’s action as a political vendetta.
During its protest on Wednesday, the Congress party had alleged that the ED action was part of “vendetta politics” by the BJP, accusing the party of misusing the ED for political purposes.
Former minister Priya Sethi also criticised the Congress leadership. “Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi should take responsibility for their involvement in the National Herald case and resign from the Congress,” she said.