With party President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi being summoned by a Delhi court in the National Herald case, the Congress has decided to go for an all-out political war against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Not just legally, the Congress seems to be keen to fight the case politically as well. Keeping a firm stance, Sonia on Tuesday maintained that she had nothing to be afraid of. "I'm the daughter-in-law of Indira Gandhi, I'm not scared of anything. Why should I be scared?" she said.
However, Sonia invoking her mother-in-law and former prime minister Indira Gandhi's name is a clear sign that there will be no cooperation between the Congress and the BJP in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament. The government has been reaching out to the Congress to get a headway to pass the Goods and Services Tax Bill in the current session of the House.
The Congress is also turning this case into a battle of perceptions. The issue is being used by Sonia to project herself and her party as being directly targeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government.
"An atmosphere of suspicion has been created in the country against political rivals. We don't need advice from the BJP on the legal case. We are certain our leaders are innocent, there is nothing to be afraid of," Congress leader Ashwani Kumar said.
Even as the case was being heard in the Patiala House court on Tuesday, Congress members took Parliament by storm and created uproar on the floor of the House. Congress leaders have maintained that they will continue to raise the issue in Parliament.
"Will continue to raise issue in Parliament. This is political vendetta. The people of this country will show them the lesson," Congress leader Oscar Fernandes said.
One of the senior counsels representing the Gandhis in the case Abhishek Manu Singhvi claimed that he is sure that they will win the case. "The ruling party (BJP) is using proxy litigation to target Congress leaders. We have a strong case and we are sure that we will legally win this case," Singhvi said.
The government, however, denied allegations of any political vendetta and questioned why the Congress leaders were not willing to face the court of law.
"There is no political vendetta against Congress. The case was filed long back. The allegations of the Congress against the government are baseless. The law will take its own course. The government will not be interfering in the matter," Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said.
Sonia and Rahul have been asked by the Patiala House Court to appear before it on December 19, the next date of hearing in the National Herald case. The Gandhis' counsels moved an exemption application saying the Congress leaders are willing to appear on any other date except Tuesday as they have their pre-scheduled engagements. Granting them exemption, the court asked them to appear on December 19 at 3 PM.
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