Tripura BJP president Rajib Bhattacharya on Friday launched a scathing attack on senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, accusing them of their involvement in a ₹2,000 crore scam related to the National Herald case. He addressed the media at the state BJP headquarters and alleged that the mother-son duo misused their positions in the Congress party to transfer public funds into private entities for their personal gain.
Bhattacharya said the Enforcement Directorate had filed a detailed chargesheet that exposed what he called a long-standing conspiracy to loot public money under the guise of reviving a defunct newspaper. He stated that the people of India needed to know the truth about the alleged misappropriation of assets belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which originally ran the National Herald.
He accused the Gandhis of using a newly formed private company, Young Indian, to take control of the vast real estate and financial assets of AJL, thereby betraying public trust. He argued that this amounted to a systematic siphoning of funds intended for journalistic work. He also claimed the case reflected how political dynasties operated with a sense of impunity and ignored accountability.
Bhattacharya dismissed the Congress party’s protests as nothing more than an attempt to distract from the legal consequences of the scam. He insisted that no political party or leader was above the law and urged the judiciary to ensure swift punishment for the guilty. He said the BJP remained committed to exposing corruption at all levels and believed the law would take its course.
The Tripura BJP chief said Congress leaders had manipulated both financial rules and moral responsibility by disguising a private takeover of assets as a revival mission. He said the truth had come out after years of investigation by the country’s financial probe agencies. He maintained that every Indian citizen deserved clarity about the intentions and actions of their leaders, especially when public money was at stake.
Bhattacharya urged people not to fall for what he called the emotional narratives Congress leaders were trying to spin. He said the Congress was trying to label the legal process as political vendetta because it had no answers to the serious charges levelled against its top leaders. He warned that making emotional appeals would not stop the law from catching up with corruption.
The BJP leader added that the incident also highlighted the need to bring transparency to how political parties manage funds and assets. He said parties that had ruled the country for decades must show greater responsibility in handling institutions meant to serve the public. He alleged that Congress had turned the legacy of India’s freedom movement into a source of personal wealth.
Bhattacharya appealed to the public to remain vigilant against political leaders who used heritage and history as a cover for dishonest practices. He claimed that the Gandhis had long benefited from a lack of public scrutiny but were now being held accountable. He emphasized that the BJP had always stood for clean governance and would continue its efforts to bring such cases into the public eye.
He also questioned why Congress was not addressing the charges in detail and instead launching protest rallies across the country. He said silence on facts and shouting on the streets would not serve justice. He reiterated his party’s confidence in the judiciary and said the time had come to set an example through a strong legal response.
As the National Herald case continues to draw political attention across the country, the Tripura BJP unit’s aggressive stand underscores the wider battle between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress. With the 2024 general elections now behind them, the political temperature remains high, and both parties continue to frame narratives ahead of upcoming state elections.
