Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday mounted a strong political offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing it of indulging in vendetta politics and asserting that “false cases do not have a long shelf-life.” His remarks came in response to developments in the National Herald money laundering case involving Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
A Delhi court earlier in the day declined to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s chargesheet in the National Herald case. Special Judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court observed that the complaint filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was not maintainable, as it was based on a private complaint rather than a First Information Report, dealing a setback to the agency’s case.
Speaking at a protest held at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha premises in Belagavi, Shivakumar said the Congress party could not be defeated through conspiracies and politically motivated cases. He described both the National Herald and the Congress as national assets and said the court’s decision had laid bare what he termed the BJP’s agenda of targeting opposition leaders for political gain.
Calling the verdict a victory for democracy, Shivakumar said it marked the collapse of what he alleged was a long-running conspiracy by the BJP. He claimed the ruling party had sought to malign and imprison Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi through the misuse of central investigative agencies, and argued that such politics of revenge must come to an end.
Shivakumar also spoke about the historical significance of the National Herald, recalling that it was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1937 to give voice to the freedom movement and the people of India. He rejected allegations that the Gandhi family treated the newspaper as personal property, stressing that it is run by a trust and governed by established rules and regulations.
Referring to his own experience, Shivakumar said he and his brother had received notices from the Delhi Police for making donations to the National Herald. He emphasised that the money donated was his personal, hard-earned income and questioned why such contributions were being portrayed as wrongdoing.
He further recalled that the Enforcement Directorate had previously registered a money laundering case against him, which was later quashed by the Supreme Court. Drawing a parallel, he said courts had once again exposed the weakness of cases filed against Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Responding to allegations that he was being targeted for standing firmly with the Gandhi family, Shivakumar said intimidation and pressure tactics would not weaken the Congress. He also criticised the BJP over reports of renaming MGNREGA, saying the party could never erase the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi.
On opposition protests related to information about the Gruhalakshmi scheme, Shivakumar said critics were free to pursue procedural options such as privilege motions. He urged them instead to focus on substantive issues affecting the public, including the implementation of MGNREGA, irrigation funding, and the Centre’s support for schemes like the Jal Jeevan Mission.
