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Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday accused the government of vindictiveness in the wake of an income tax notice in the National Herald case, asserting that such “political witch hunting will only help us come back”.
“Income tax notice in National Herald case is political vindictiveness. Political witch hunt will only help us come back and fight harder,” Gandhi said in her reaction to the reported notice.
At the All India Congress Committee briefing, party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi confirmed that the AICC had received the notice on Tuesday. “This notice and earlier procedures are going to be given vigorous, robust and comprehensive reply. A befitting reply,” he said.
The spokesman said the Congress was not in the habit of sharing with the media in advance the reply but alleged that it shows the fear and insecurity of the new elected government.
Singhvi remarked that history of politics showed how vendetta and pettiness boomeranged. “This is cheap politics and history shows what happens when one resorts to vendetta.”
Replying to questions, he said what has happened was politically motivated and has been initiated by the leader in the Bharatiya Janata Party despite the fact that it has “none of the ingredients of an offence”.
Despite this, Singhvi remarked, it was being “flaunted” before the media and made sensational. “We have much to say to the appropriate forum,” he added.
A Delhi court had ordered process on a private criminal complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others in acquiring the assets of a company that ran the now-defunct National Herald newspaper.
The complaint had alleged various criminal offences in acquiring the assets of Associated Journals Limited by Young Indian, a newly floated company, and sought a probe in this regard.