"Caught stealing again": Anurag Thakur takes jibe at Congress over National Herald case

New Delhi [India], April 18 (ANI): Former Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anurag Thakur on Friday took a jibe at the Congress amid the ongoing controversy in connection with the National Herald case, claiming that they have been "caught stealing again". He said that some newspapers are published on paper, while others are only available online, and National Herald was one of the latter.
Thakur stated that Congress "trembles" after hearing the name of the National Herald.
"Congress party time and again tries to launch and fails - I am talking about National Herald. The entire ecosystem of the Congress party began to feel the sensation of Kapkapahat after hearing the name National Herald, and it's obvious because they have been caught stealing again. After independence, many scams done by Congress have come forward," Thakur said in a press conference here.
Taking a dig at Congress, he pointed out that the National Herald, a weekly newspaper that "nobody reads," receives more funding than daily newspapers. He also alleged that property given to run the newspaper in various states was "subsidised".
"National Herald is a weekly newspaper, but nobody reads it. It never gets printed. Akhbaar vaise to kagaz pe chapta hai, lekin kuch kagazi akhbaar hote hai...ye unme se ek hai (some newspapers are published on paper while some are only on paper...this is one of the latter). I didn't see any reporters from the National Herald, which is a weekly paper but receives more funding than a daily newspaper. Property given to run this newspaper in various states on a subsidy. This is Congress' model of corruption," Thakur said.
After the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a chargesheet against Congress leaders Rahul and Sonia Gandhi in connection with the alleged National Herald case, party President Mallikarjun Kharge has called a meeting on Saturday to finalise the strategy ahead of the hearing in the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court on April 25.
According to sources, after discussing with his lawyers, LoP Rahul Gandhi left for Boston, US, as per his pre-scheduled program.
Rahul and the lawyers have decided to participate in the legal process at the Rouse Avenue Court and will not approach the High Court directly, sources said.
On April 15, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) against top Congress members Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in connection with the National Herald money laundering case.
The chargesheet also names Congress leader Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey and others, including several firms.
The matter has been listed for arguments on cognisance in the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court on April 25.
The prosecution complaint has been filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, for the offence of money laundering, as defined under Section 3, read with Section 70, and punishable under Section 4 of the PMLA, 2002.
The complaint was filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, their associated companies, and other individuals. (ANI)