In less than 72 hours, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi will stand before a magistrate for the first time in their lives. The party has begun preparations for the big day.
According to reports, the party has asked all its leaders, including MPs, former ministers, chief ministers, general secretaries to be present with their supporters on Saturday when party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will appear before a trial court in the controversial National Herald case.
Sources within the party said that there may be plans for a Jail Bharo Andolan, after it has been rumoured that the Congress chief and her son will not apply for bail, leaving the Magistrate no option but to send them to jail.
The hearing is to take place at Vigyan Bhawan, as both the accused in this case are SPG protectees, where elaborate arrangements have been made. Sources said Sonia and Rahul may not apply for a bail.
Ever since a trial court summoned the Gandhis, the Congress has been vehemently protesting in Parliament and stalling the procedures in both the Houses, particularly in the Rajya Sabha where the party is in majority. Several crucial bills, including the GST could not be passed due to the unrelenting protests by the Congress in the garb of different issues like corruption charges against chief ministers of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Both Sonia and Rahul has termed the National Herald case a “political vendetta” and simultaneously remarked they have full faith in judiciary. Some Congress leaders fear the case would “weaken and slow down” the party at a time when it is witnessing a revival of sorts.
This is not the first time a top Congress leader has been asked to appear before a court. The party faced similar situation when Indira Gandhi had to appear but was later represented by her lawyer Nani Palkhiwala in the famous Raj Narain case. Narain had contested the Lok Sabha polls against Indira Gandhi in 1971 from Rae Bareilly in which Indira won. Narain alleged that Indira Gandhi used bribery
