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On ED’s National Herald summons, Sena asks if Nehru will get agency notice next
Stating that the National Herald was started by Nehru with a mission to publish articles on the country’s freedom struggle in 1937, Sena said the newspaper had lost its importance long ago.
The Shiv Sena on Sunday took a dig at the Centre over the Enforcement Directorate's summons to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. In its editorial mouthpiece, Saamana, the Sena that shares power with the Congress in Maharashtra asked if summons would be issued to the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru too. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were summoned by the ED in the National Herald case – a case that the investigating agency had closed in 2015 -- last week.
Stating that the National Herald was started by Nehru with a mission to publish articles on the country’s freedom struggle in 1937, Sena said the newspaper had lost its importance long ago.
“The political importance of the National Herald, started by Pandit Nehru, has lost its importance long ago, but the politics over it still continues,” the Sena was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Also read | Rahul Gandhi summoned by ED in National Herald case - A look at his other cases
"This newspaper was started for the freedom struggle of the country and the prime objective was to drive out the British from the country. Nehru had started this newspaper in 1937. At that time Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel were the main pillars of this newspaper. The Herald was popular at that time as an outspoken spokesperson for the freedom struggle," the editorial read.
The Sena raised questions on the ED entering into the probe despite "no money laundering" claims attached to the case. "Subramanian Swamy alleged that a company, which had no business, became the owner of ₹2,000 crore instead of ₹50 lakh. Motilal Vora, Oscar Fernandes, Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda were also made accused among other directors of this company, but Sonia and Rahul remained in limelight. There was no money laundering anywhere in this entire case. But still, the ED entered into it," said the Shiv Sena mouthpiece.
The editorial further said, "In the National Herald case, the transaction was done to repay the loan and not for misconduct. In this entire episode, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been made accused. Will a few summons in the name of Nehru be pasted on his memorial? Some souls will calm down only after Pandit Nehru gets notice from ED and CBI."
Last week, the ED had issued fresh summons to Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case and asked the Congress MP to join the investigation on June 13. Earlier, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi were asked to join the probe on June 8. The National Herald case pertains to the alleged misappropriation of assets of over ₹2,000 crore in an equity transaction.
