National Herald newspaper

Jawaharlal Nehru edited the National Herald in 1938. The newspaper

was published by a company, Associated Journals Limited (AJL) was
founded in 1937 with 5,000 other freedom fighters as its shareholders.

The company, AJL did not belong to any one person but to the Congress
Party and had assets of ninety Crores rupees worth in it.

Associated Journals Ltd was acquired by Young Indian Ltd (YIL)

belonging to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, after a payment of only Rs 50
lakh. the newspaper was not a Govt. of India owned publication working
for Congress Party.

The National Herald case: In 2012, BJP leader and advocate

Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint before a trial court alleging that
some Congress leaders were involved in cheating and breach of trust in
the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd by Young Indian Ltd (YIL). He
alleged that YIL had taken over the assets of the National Herald in a
'malicious' way.
Under the Income Tax Act, no political organisation can have financial

transactions with a third party. Swamy further claimed that Sonia Gandhi

and Rahul Gandhi had taken over the assets to gain profits. He also

claimed Young Indian Ltd paid only Rs 50 lakh for the right to recover Rs

90 crores Associated Journals Limited owed to the party. This implies that

the Congress had written off the remaining Rs 89.5 crores.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, today [13/6/22], appeared before the

Enforcement Directorate (ED) in New Delhi for questioning in the

National Herald money laundering case.

1
The investigating agency had summoned Rahul Gandhi and his mother,

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, to explain allegations of money

laundering in the National Herald Case. Rahul Gandhi marched to the

ED office in the national capital, accompanied by hundreds of party

members. However, due to Covid related issues, Sonia Gandhi is

admitted to a hospital in Delhi because of which ED has issued her a fresh

summons for June 23.

The Enforcement Directorate recorded Rahul Gandhi's statement under

the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Rahul Gandhi is the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in Kerala.

The probe is related to alleged financial irregularities in the Young Indian

Pvt Limited owned National Herald newspaper.

What is the National Herald case?

In 2010, the Associated Journals Limited had 1,057 shareholders. It

incurred losses, and its holdings were transferred to Young Indian Pvt Ltd

(YIL) in 2011, with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on the board of

directors. At the time of shutting down the National Herald in 2008,

Associated Journals Limited owed the Congress an accumulated debt of
Rs 90 crore. In 2010, the Congress assigned this debt to Young India
Private Limited, a non-profit company that had been created a few months
earlier.

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi each own 38% of the company. The

2
remaining 24% share of the company is owned by Congress leaders

Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, (Vora and Fernandes have died),

journalist Suman Dubey and entrepreneur Sam Pitroda, who are also

named in the case.

The ED l recorded the statement of the Lok Sabha member from

Wayanad in Kerala under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money

Laundering Act (PMLA).

The probe pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the party-promoted

Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper.

National Herald is published by the Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and

owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited.

The Gandhis are expected to be grilled about the incorporation of a Young

Indian company, the operations of the National Herald and the fund

transfer within the news media establishment.

The case involves National Herald, a newspaper that Jawaharlal Nehru

founded; a company that had his great-grandson Rahul Gandhi as director

and granddaughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi as another significant

shareholder; besides charges of money laundering and illegal takeover of

prime real estate.

The Gandhis' YIL had a share capital of just Rs 5 lakh. It took a loan

of Rs 1 crore from Kolkata's shell firm Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd

3
and paid the Congress Rs 50 lakh to recover the debt of Rs 90.25

crore from National Herald.

• But YIL ended up taking over AJL and, by extension, the defunct print

media outlet's assets, including prime real estate in Delhi and across

the country, worth over Rs 2,000 crore maliciously.

• The Congress, run by the Gandhis, waived off the remaining debt of

Rs 89.5 crore. The party had already taken Rs 50 lakh.

• So, the assets of AJL, which had hundreds of shareholders and did

not belong to individuals (the likes of Bhushan and Katju said

holdings were transferred without consent), went to the Gandhis' YIL

that had no commercial operations.

• The Congress should have received Rs 90.25 crore. But the party got

only Rs 50 lakh. Even by the government's account, YIL now has

assets of Rs 800 crore across the country.

• Swamy essentially alleged an illegal takeover of AJL and named

Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, journalist

Suman Dubey and technocrat Sam Pitroda as accused in his petition

to the Delhi court

Swamy has said the loan of Rs 90.25 crore itself was illegal as it

came from party funds. Under the Income-Tax Act, no political

organisation can have financial transactions with a third party.

4
Does all this constitute a money-laundering offence? That's for the court
to decide. But here is the definition of money laundering. Money
laundering is the process of concealing the origin of money, often obtained
from illicit activities, by converting it into a legitimate source.

In 2012, Rahul Gandhi's office threatened legal action against Swamy.

The Congress said the Rs 90.25 crore was legal as the party didn't take
interest. The Congress defended the debt swap, saying AJL was a
companion organisation of the Congress, and it was the party's duty to
revive the institution and the newspapers under it. The party has claimed
YIL was created for charity and not any profit.

Be that as it may, there have been several twists and turns in the case
since 2012.

TWISTS AND TURNS

In 2014, when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, Swamy wrote to

then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for an Income-Tax investigation
against senior Congress leaders in the AJL takeover case.

A week later, the Delhi trial court issued summons to Sonia Gandhi and
Rahul Gandhi on Swamy's petition. The court said it appeared that YIL
was created as a "sham or a cloak" to convert public money for personal
use. The Delhi High Court stayed the summons. The same year, the ED
began a probe to ascertain money-laundering charges

In 2015, Swamy moved the Supreme Court for speedy investigation but
was told to approach the high court. The Delhi High Court said that the
accused did appear to have "criminal intent". The same year, the ED
reopened its investigation after it was briefly closed due to "technical
reasons." Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi secured anticipatory bail from
the Delhi trial court.

5
In 2016, the Supreme Court exempted all five accused from personal

appearances but refused to quash proceedings against them.

In 2018, the Centre decided to end the perpetual lease and evict AJL from

the Herald House premises allotted on Delhi's Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
in 1962. The government said the ALJ was no longer conducting any
printing or publishing activity for which the building was allotted to it.

In 2019, the Supreme Court stayed the eviction proceedings until further

notice.

RECENT GOVERNMENT ACTIONS: The ED says former Haryana chief

minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, also an accused, and Vora used
proceeds of crime, in the form of land illegally allotted to AJL in Haryana's
Panchkula, and pledged it to get a loan from a Syndicate Bank branch in
Delhi to construct a building in Mumbai's Bandra area. This property,
valued at 16.38 crore, was attached by the ED in 2020.The Income-Tax
department claimed that the shares owned by Rahul Gandhi in YIL
would lead him to have an income of Rs 154 crore and not about Rs
68 lakh, as was assessed earlier. The department issued a demand
notice for Rs 249.15 crore to YIL for the assessment year 2011-12.

With their political fortunes on a constant decline, the ED's actions may

continue to help the BJP paint the Congress as a corrupt party despite the

protests that we saw on Monday. This has significant electoral

consequences, irrespective of which way the National Herald case ends

up in the long run

6
Here's a list of possible questions to Rahul Gandhi made available by

sources.

1. What was your position at Associated Journals Limited?

2. How are you associated with Young India Limited?

3. Why did you hold shares in your name?

4. Did you have a meeting with previous shareholders? If not, then why?

5. Why did Congress decide to give a loan to Young India Limited?

6. Why did Congress want to revive the National Herald?

7. Can you give details of the loans given by Congress?

8. Can you give details of the assets of the Associated Journals Limited

and the National Herald?

THE CASE

The ED said that it has recorded statements of all office-bearers of

Associated Journals Limited (AJL), Young India Limited (YIL), and

National Herald (NH).

Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi hold 38% shares of YIL each. According

to allegations levelled by politician/lawyer Subramanian Swamy in 2011,

the AJL — a public limited company with immovable assets at prime

location in New Delhi - was shut down in 2008 as it closed printing and

publication of the National Herald. At the time of its closure the AJL owed

Rs 90.26 crore to the Congress, which had given loans to the company in

order to keep the National Herald running. The loans were interest-free.

7
The debt was an asset of the Congress, which declared the loan as

negative worth when the AJL shut down operations.

Sometime later, the Congress assigned the debt owed by AJL to the

Young India Private Limited (YIL) - a charitable company. Sonia Gandhi

and Rahul Gandhi were said to have 38 per cent shares each.
However, according to the Income Tax department's record the combined

share of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi was 83.3 per cent in the YIL. Of

the rest, 15.5 per cent was owned by Congress leader Motilal Vora and

the remaining 1.2 per cent by Oscar Fernandes. Subramanian Swamy

alleged that YIL was floated by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to acquire
the assets of the National Herald - which, according to him, run into
thousands of crores of rupees.

TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN AJL AND YIL

As per the court records, the Young India Private Limited has a share

capital of Rs 5 lakh only. But it paid Rs 50 lakh to the Congress, which

transferred its debt of Rs 90.26 crore owed to it by AJL to the YIL.

Simply put the YIL got the right to recover Rs 90.26 crore debt by paying

just Rs 50 lakh.

In December 2010, the AJL transferred its shares to the YIL as it failed

to pay back Rs 90.26 crore debt. This also resulted in sharp reduction in

the shareholding of the original 761 stakeholders of the AJL, who now

owned only one per cent of the stakes in the company.

Now, the AJL became a subsidiary of the YIL, which was jointly owned

8
by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes. The

AJL has real estate assets at prime locations in New Delhi, Mumbai,

Lucknow, Patna, Bhopal, Indore and Panchkula among others.

After acquiring the properties of AJL, YIL declared that it would not carry

out any publication including the National Herald as it is not among its

objectives.

This is where Subramanian Swamy entered the fray. He objected to the

decision of the YIL crying scam. The National Herald House, from
where the daily was published, is located on a prime land in New
Delhi. It was given to the AJL at concessional rate for publication of
newspaper.

Swamy alleged that the building was being used for commercial and

renting purpose by company owned by individuals, who have used

unfair and illegal means to acquire government's property given for
a special purpose at concessional rate.

New Delhi:

Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala on Tuesday (June 14)

said the Centre is scared of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as he raised
voice against issues like unemployment, inflation and Chinese infiltration.
Addressing a press conference, Surjewala said, "Why is BJP scared of
Rahul Gandhi`s strong voice? When China infiltrated and the government
was in denial mode; it is Rahul Gandhi who raised his voice.

Even today, the government could not drive China out," adding "Rahul

Gandhi has been raising his voice against the Modi government on

9
inflation and rising prices of petrol and diesel. That is why, there is a

problem with Rahul Gandhi."

Slamming the BJP government over the Enforcement Directorate`s (ED)

summons to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Surjewala further said,

"He raised questions about the sinking economy and unemployment.

This is the reason the Centre is upset with Rahul Gandhi

INDIA - 2023

In its editorial on 10 March, Inquilab its editorial on 10 March, Inquilab

said:

India’s image abroad had already taken a hit, especially because of

• the growing instances of communal violence,

• inflammatory comments and speeches made by leaders such as
former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, and
• the growing “bulldozer Raj”.

The BJP leaders who are outraged over Rahul Gandhi’s speeches must
begin to think about this too, the editorial said.

Asle Toje is the deputy leader of the Norwegian Nobel committee.

Asle Toje said PM Modi is one of the most reliable faces of peace in
the world.

Asle Toje also added that India plays a vital role in halting the ongoing
Russia-Ukraine war. PM Modi is a leader who not only takes care of
uplifting India and its economy but also contributes and participates in
matters around the globe.

10
So, to conclude, Toje did praise the leadership of PM Modi.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday [16-3-2023| said that he was

not allowed to speak in the Parliament even after he urged Speaker Om
Birla regarding it. The former party chief alleged that the house was
adjourned within a minute of his arrival in the Lok Sabha. Addressing a
press conference, Rahul said "four cabinet ministers have raised
allegations against me in the parliament house and that is why I went there
with an idea to speak on it but I wasn't allowed to do so."

The Wayanad MP said that he is hopeful that the govt will let him speak
in Lok Sabha tomorrow but he is not sure. When Gandhi entered the Lok
Sabha on Thursday, the BJP members strongly demanded that he
tenders an apology for his "democracy under attack" remark in
London.

17-3-2023 NEW DELHI: Breaking his silence over the allegations about
his London remarks, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and BJP are “scared” of the Adani scandal and the
questions raised by him about Modi's alleged relationship with Adani,
and they have contrived a “tamasha” in Parliament to divert the focus of
the country from the issue

24-3-2023 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was convicted in a criminal

defamation case regarding his “Modi surname” remark on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, Rahul revealed that he met Speaker Om

Birla on Thursday and asserted his right to respond after four Union
ministers levelled allegations against him. Rahul expressed hope that he
will be allowed to speak on Friday, but also added that he suspected his
request would not be accepted, while adding that there was lack of clarity
– “the Speaker was non-committal, he just smiled”.

11
Upping the ante, Rahul said it is a “test of Indian democracy” if an MP is
given the time to speak after four ministers have raised allegations against
him. “I want to make it clear that I am an MP. As allegations have been
made against me by four ministers in Parliament, it is my right to speak in
Parliament. If Indian democracy was functioning, I would be able to say
my piece in Parliament.

What you are seeing is a test of Indian democracy.

After four leaders of BJP have made allegations against an MP, will that
MP be given the same space as them, or is he going to be told to shut
up,” he said.

Rahul said at the root of the parliamentary blockade is the speech he gave
in Lok Sabha about Adani, his proximity to PM Modi, and the questions
he raised about the top corporate house getting defence deals with Israel,
power projects in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the PM’s meeting with
Adani, SBI chairman and an Australian leader in Australia after which the
bank granted a big loan to Adani.

After returning from his overseas trip, Rahul visited Parliament on

Thursday, (16-3-23) when the two Houses remained paralysed over
protests and counter protests.

CONGRESS PROTESTS AGAINST ADANI ROW

Demands for a Joint Parliament Committee (J P C) continued.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who attended Parliament on Thursday

after arriving a day earlier from abroad, held a press conference, his
London speeches and the controversy that ensued.

During his interaction with the media, Rahul Gandhi said, "Unfortunately,
I am a member of Parliament and as the allegation has been made in

12
Parliament by four ministers, it is my democratic right to have an
opportunity to speak."

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, sitting beside Rahul Gandhi, leaned

over to him and asked the former Congress president to tweak his words
in order to avoid the BJP's reaction. Though speaking in a hushed tone,
Jairam Ramesh's message to Rahul Gandhi was audible enough to be
heard and recorded on camera.

"They will make a joke of you. Say 'unfortunately for you'," Jairam Ramesh
can be heard saying in the video.

Non-BJP govts should probe Adani Group, says TMC

A day after keeping away from Congress-led march of opposition parties

to the E D office, TMC on Thursday proposed that all the opposition party-
led governments should start investigation into Adani group of companies
in their respective states, for amassing funds from public institutions like
SBI and LIC.

“As a constructive, time-bound way forward, we suggest that all opposition

parties should conduct an investigation in their respective states against
the loot and plunder of the Adani Group of companies,” TMC Rajya Sabha
leader Derek O’ Brien said.

After Budget Session was washed out for the fifth day, Congress
leaders, including Rahul, Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, staged a
protest outside Parliament, demanding J P C investigation in Adani
‘scam’. It was the second day that Rahul Gandhi was seen in the House,
even as BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote to Lok Sabha speaker demanding
termination of Wayanad MP’s membership from Parliament.

13
Yes, one corporate entity has done through Modi all these thigs:

Adani, his proximity to PM Modi:

the top corporate house getting

defence deals with Israel,

power projects in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh,

the PM’s meeting with Adani, SBI chairman and

an Australian leader in Australia

after which the bank granted a big loan to Adani

Will Modi answer these issues and prove that crony capitalism has
not been indulged in, and governance has been open and democratic?

Adani has stated that whatever he got has been after proper bidding
and winning in the process and he did not get anything directly.

14
Facing flak for his “democracy under attack” in India remarks in the UK,
Gandhi on Thursday had said if Indian democracy was functioning, he
would be able to say his piece in Parliament, asserting that it is a “test of
democracy”.

After four leaders of the BJP have made an allegation about a Member of
Parliament, is that MP going to be given the same space that those four
Ministers have been given or is he going to be told to “shut up”, asked
Gandhi at a press conference, his first after returning from the UK. He had
also met the Lok Sabha speaker, requesting him for time to speak in the
House to put on his version on the issues.

The entire week has been a washout with the government demanding an
apology from Rahul Gandhi, while the Opposition has accused the Centre
of deliberately derailing Parliament as “it does not want to have a
discussion on Adani issue to agree for JPC”.

19-3-2023

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi once again surrounded PM Modi on the

Adani issue. He said, 'Wherever Adani went, there was a business deal.

15
 ‘Modani’ changed the foreign policy. Modi-Adani going abroad is not
cooperation.

The Congress hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his attack on
Rahul Gandhi over his "Indian democracy under attack" remarks in the
UK, asking Rahul to apologise first. Parliament is stalled.

Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent

remarks in the United Kingdom, defence minister Rajnath Singh on

Saturday said there is no democracy in the world like India but people
were trying to defame the country on the international stage.

“An individual who is visiting America and Europe is trying to garner

support from foreigners by claiming our democracy is in danger. If

anybody feels our democracy is in danger, they should have taken it

up in the Parliament.

The only time voices were muzzled was in 1975 during the

Emergency. Some people are intentionally trying to defame the

country on the international stage.

I am sharing my views in front of the business community as they

understand how strong our economy has become due to the

government’s policy and vision,” he said while attending a Holi Milan

event organised by local traders.

16
Pointing out to the condition of neighbouring nations like Sri Lanka and
Pakistan, Rajnath emphasised on the role being played by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi in strengthening the country’s economy.

On achievements of the Uttar Pradesh government, Rajnath pointed out

that better law and order has acted as a backbone for the growth of the
state.

BJP national president J P Nadda on Saturday said, while his party led by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was focusing on all round and inclusive
development of the country, the Congress was still busy promoting
dynastic politics with repackaging after repackaging of its leader Rahul
Gandhi.

Addressing a public meeting as part of BJP's 'Vijaya Sankalpa Yatre'

ahead of Assembly polls in May, he said that Rahul Gandhi, unable to win
elections, is alleging that democracy in India was under threat, on foreign
land.

'Savarkar samjha kya': Congress's tweet on Rahul Gandhi irks Rijiju.

NEW DELHI: Even as the BJP continues to demand an apology from
Rahul Gandhi over his "democracy under attack" remarks that he made

17
in London, the Congress on Sunday took a jibe at the saffron party and
tweeted a smiling photo of Rahul Gandhi in the driver's seat of a car.

"Sarvarkar samjha kya ... Name is Rahul Gandhi," the tweet read.

What was the urgency...' Rahul Gandhi questions sudden Delhi Police action
45 days after his remarks:

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday [19-3-2023] sent a four-page

preliminary reply to the Delhi Police's notice about his "women still being
sexually assaulted" remark made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra while
questioning the process adopted by the authorities and a sudden urgency
after a 45-day delay.

The Congress leader gave the 10-point reply hours after a Delhi Police
team knocked on his doors for the third time in five days. He also sought
eight to 10 days to give a detailed response to the questions posed by the
Delhi Police over his January 30 remarks, the sources said.

The police team headed by Special Commissioner of Police (Law and

Order) Sagar Preet Hooda arrived at Rahul Gandhi's 12, Tughlaq Lane,
residence around 10 am and was able to meet the Congress leader after
two hours, officials said, adding the team left around 1 pm.

According to the police, Gandhi stated in Srinagar during the Bharat Jodo
Yatra that "I have heard that women are still being sexually assaulted",
and since the Yatra had passed through Delhi also, they wanted to
ascertain if any victim had approached the Congress leader here so that
they can initiate a probe into the matter.

Kolkata: (19-3-2023) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on

Sunday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Banerjee called

18
Gandhi, the TRP of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the internal meeting
of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) which was held today, March 19, the
West Bengal CM said that the Congress leader was an asset of the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Banerjee further added that the Congress had made the Wayanad MP the
important MP above all agenda. Taking a dig at the BJP, the west Bengal
CM said that the saffron party was keen on making Gandhi a hero.

She further stated if Gandhi becomes the face of the opposition, then
nobody could attack PM Modi.

Parliament stalemated over demands for Rahul’s

apology and J P C probe into Adani.
The Parliament resumed its Budget Session last week to clear Budgetary
demands of Central Ministries and approve the Finance Bill, 2023, but it
was stalemated over other issues. If the first part of the Session saw
Government-Opposition confrontation over the Hindenburg Research
report on Adani Group of companies, the second part has already lost

19
five of its 17 sittings over the government’s insistence for apology by
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in the UK on Indian
democracy.

Every time ruling BJP members in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha
raised the issue of Gandhi’s apology, the Opposition benches responded
with shouts for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into Adani
Group’s financial controversies.

The result was the two Houses were adjourned after brief sittings in the
morning and afternoon. On Friday, the two Houses adjourned for next
Monday after 15-20 minutes of sitting. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in
the Lok Sabha and Leader of the House Piyush Goyal in the Rajya Sabha
flagged the issue of Gandhi’s speeches, and demanded that he apologise
for his comments on Indian Parliament and democracy.

Quite unusually, members from the Treasury Benches shouted for

Gandhi’s apology, without caring for what the Opposition was shouting
for. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep
Dhankhar adjourned proceedings quickly as neither side showed any sign
of restoring order.

The government wanted Gandhi to come to the House and apologise. He

came to the Lok Sabha on Thursday afternoon, but the House was
adjourned for the day amidst chaos. Dhankhar rejected several notices
under Rule 267 for suspension of work to discuss the Adani issue.

The Treasury Benches led by Ministers took up the issue of Gandhi’s

speeches so strongly that the Adani issue seemed getting pushed out of
the Parliamentary discourse. Just as the two Houses got to business on

20
Monday, the defence minister raised the issue and said the Congress
leader had spoken against the country and sought foreign powers’
intervention to “save” Indian democracy. This should be condemned by
the House and Gandhi should be asked to apologise before the House.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said Gandhi had cast
aspersions on the Speaker by wrongly alleging his microphone was
switched off when he was speaking.

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge objected to Goyal’s

references to a member of the other House. As Kharge kept commenting
on the state of democracy, the House was adjourned till the afternoon
sitting. In the afternoon, Goyal said the whole world had acknowledged
the leadership Prime Minister Narendra Modi had provided to India, and
yet an MP had spoken ill of India abroad.

Kharge cited earlier rulings by Rajya Sabha presiding officers that

members of one House should not comment on members of the other
House. Goyal said he had not named anybody and it seemed the
Congress benches felt guilty of something wrong. The Chairman noted
the arguments but deferred his ruling.

The debate continued the whole week whether Gandhi had spoken
something for which he should apologise. Every time the ruling benches
shouted for apology; the Opposition benches responded in equal measure
with their demand for a JPC into the Adani Group affairs.

There was an interlude in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday when the

Chairman complimented the filmmakers who had won two Oscar awards.

21
ADANI ISSUE CONTINUES

‘Modani’ has entered India’s political lexicon. Rahul Gandhi’s

latest tweet adopts this expression, already in vogue in his party’s social
media campaign, ‘Hum Adani ke Hain Kaun’, and in the parliamentary
chorus by the opposition demanding a JPC probe in the Gautam Adani
imbroglio. Modani is a slogan, a clever word-play, a political weapon that
helps shift the focus of the opposition from a personalised and inept attack
on the PM to a sharper critique of his alleged nexus with big business.
Clubbing Modi and Adani in the same word is a brilliant rhetorical device
to establish the proximity that both of them evidently enjoy.

In a political culture sensitive to allegations of ‘suit-boot ki sarkar’ (and for

an earlier generation, ‘Tata Birla ki sarkar’), this can be the masterstroke
the opposition has been waiting for.

Adani’s success as a corporate leader will bring Modi’s success as a

political leader_ both will swim or sink together!

Cronyism isn’t new. Are we now seeing politics of

business turn into ‘politics as business’?

Opinion by Yogendra Yadav •

22
Cronyism isn’t new. Are we now seeing politics of business turn into
‘politics as business ‘

After Budget Session was washed out for the fifth day, Congress
leaders, including Rahul, Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, staged a
protest outside Parliament, demanding J P C investigation in Adani
‘scam’. It was the second day that Rahul Gandhi was seen in the House,
even as BJP MP Nishikant Dubey wrote to Lok Sabha speaker
demanding termination of Wayanad MP’s membership from Parliament.

Modani is a slogan, a clever word-play, a political weapon that helps shift

the focus of the opposition from a personalised and inept attack on the
PM to a sharper critique of his alleged nexus with big business.

Clubbing Modi and Adani in the same word is a brilliant rhetorical device
to establish the proximity that both of them evidently enjoy. In a political
culture sensitive to allegations of ‘suit-boot ki sarkar’ (and for an earlier
generation, ‘Tata Birla ki sarkar’), this can be the masterstroke the
opposition has been waiting for.

23
23-3-2023

2-year jail for Rahul Gandhi in defamation case:

Can he be disqualified from Lok Sabha?

NEW DELHI: A Surat court on Thursday sentenced Rahul Gandhi to two

years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his
'Modi surname' remarks.

The court of chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma, which held Gandhi guilty
under Indian Penal Code sections 499 and 500, also granted him bail and
suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher
court, the Congress leader's lawyer Babu Mangukiya said.

Rahul Gandhi was present in the Surat court when the sentence was
pronounced.

A two years imprisonment for Rahul Gandhi technically attracts

disqualification from Lok Sabha under Section 8(3) of the Representation
of the People Act, 1951, unless the sentencing is stayed by a higher court.

At a public meeting in Karnataka in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha

election, Rahul Gandhi wondered how come "all thieves have Modi as the
common surname". Rahul Gandhi, or any other MP, is allowed 3 months
for appeal.

The case was filed for his alleged "how come all the thieves have Modi as
the common surname?" remark on a complaint lodged by Gujarat BJP
leader Purnesh Modi. The complainant had claimed that the controversial
remark defamed the entire Modi community. Rahul Gandhi has got bail and
he will go in for an appeal in the sessions court.
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In U K:

“You must be aware of what is happening in India — the idea of a

democratic model is being attacked and threatened.”

The intent was clear: Rahul was telling the international community to
beware. The ‘threat’ to Indian democracy isn’t just restricted to India. It will
have global repercussions. The carefully veiled but unmistakable
message: Intervene — before it is too late.

Rahul implied, against the Modi-led government and its “fascist”

ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

By granting Adani group a top corporate house status, Modani behaved

like Nirav & Lalith or a thief and hence Rahul called him one among them.
However, Rahul also belongs to the same group as proved by the case_
Associated Journals Limited (AJL), Young India Limited (YIL), and
National Herald (NH).-money-laundering case. Someone was pointing at
a cinema poster ‘Hum Sab Chor Hain’

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Disqualification:

Rahul Gandhi's disqualification 'immediate & automatic' despite bail:

Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification has come into “immediate and automatic”
effect upon his conviction and sentencing despite the grant of bail and
suspension of his sentence.

The only scenario where the disqualification shall not take effect is if the
trial court itself or an appellant court stays his conviction as well as
sentence or the appellant court reduces the quantum of his sentence.

The law is clear that a person, who has been convicted and has not got a
stay on the conviction, his or her membership, will go.

The office of the speaker of the house informed Gandhi that he was
disqualified from the date of his conviction.

Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Tuesday [28-3-2023] said

Opposition unity in the face of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok
Sabha provides a fertile ground to "build an edifice on", and noted that if
this is the beginning of a more sustained cooperation it was "worth paying
the price" for.

Asked if Gandhi could make a comeback to Parliament this Lok Sabha

term, Khurshid said, "We hope and we are confident that we will see him
back in Parliament very quickly through the legal process."

"The legal process will take a few days…I can't tell you at what pace we
will be able to do it. We have a team working on it. Hopefully in the not-
too-distant future we will overcome the impediments," he said.

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