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BJP slams Rahul Gandhi for defending Vadra, Priyanka over Baghel’s son’s arrest
The BJP accused Congress MP and leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, of misusing his constitutional post to defend family interests
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday hit back at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) charge sheet against Robert Vadra, accusing Gandhi of misusing his constitutional post to defend family interests. The BJP also criticised Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for defending former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s son, Chaitanya Baghel, over his arrest in a liquor policy-linked money laundering case.
“The first family of the corruption-ridden Congress always bands together to cover up each other’s misconduct. Brother in Lok Sabha, mother in Rajya Sabha, sister in Lok Sabha and all the land holdings with brother-in-law Robert Vadra.That means, whether they have the political holdings or not, they ensured land ownership by grabbing farmers’ land. For this, they divide the country along linguistic, regional and caste lines,” BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said during a media briefing in Delhi.
Trivedi questioned Rahul Gandhi’s response, asking whether Gandhi made his statement as an individual or as a person holding a constitutional post. “What Rahul Gandhi had posted, did he do it as an individual or as a leader of Opposition, or did he misuse the constitutional post to defend family interests?”
Congress is yet to respond to the BJP’s remarks.
On Friday, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP-led government of pursuing a “politically motivated witch hunt” against Vadra after ED filed its first charge sheet in the Gurugram land deal case. Gandhi said his family would face the persecution with dignity and that “the truth will prevail.”
The ED’s charge sheet pertains to a 3.53-acre land deal in Shikohpur, Gurugram, allegedly bought in 2008 using dubious financial arrangements. The federal agency attached 43 properties worth ₹37.64 crore belonging to Vadra and his companies. Vadra had been questioned three times by ED in April 2025. His office dismissed the charge sheet as “an extension of the political witch hunt,” adding that Vadra would contest the case in court.
Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi condemned the arrest of Chaitanya Baghel, alleging it was an attempt to silence former CM Bhupesh Baghel on key environmental issues in the state assembly. “The BJP government handed over Chhattisgarh’s forests to Adani ji, violating the PESA Act and NGT orders. Bhupesh Baghel ji was going to raise this in the assembly, so they arrested his son early in the morning,” Priyanka posted on X.
Chaitanya Baghel was arrested by ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following early morning raids at his residence in Bhilai, Durg district. He was remanded in ED custody till July 22 by a special PMLA court.
According to the ED’s remand application, Chaitanya allegedly received ₹16.70 crore in proceeds of crime through two linked firms, including ₹5 crore via M/s Saheli Jewellers. ED noted ₹4.5 crore remains unpaid and interest-free, terming the transactions a suspected front for laundering illicit cash.
