BJP trying to defame Nehru-Gandhi family on baseless allegations, says Uttam

Hyderabad: Accusing the BJP government at the Centre of targeting the Nehru-Gandhi family on baseless allegations, Congress MP and former TPCC President N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday asked the party cadre to participate in the nationwide protest on July 21 and 22. Congress President Sonia Gandhi will be visiting the Enforcement Directorate's office on July 21 in response to the summons sent by the ED in the National Herald case.

Addressing a press conference through Zoom App on Tuesday, Uttam alleged that the BJP government was using Central agencies, especially the ED as a tool to target the opposition leaders. He said that the allegations of money laundering in the National Herald case by the ED were completely false and added that there was no basis for the ED or any other Central agency to question Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi. He pointed out that the National Herald issue was a simple debt-to-equity conversion with absolutely no transaction of money. Since no money was involved in the transaction, the question of money laundering does not arise, he said.

Uttam said that the centre has been using the ED only to defame the Nehru-Gandhi family, demoralise the Congress cadre and divert the people's attention from real issues like rising inflation, China's intrusion into India, etc. He said that debt-to-equity conversion was a regular process which lending banks frequently do and added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has revived the National Herald issue which was earlier closed.

"Congress leaders and entire cadre will never allow the BJP government to harass Sonia Gandhi. We will hold protests, across the country on July 21 and 22 to express our solidarity with our leaders and also convey a message that we will not bow down to the intimidating tactics of the Modi government," added Uttam.