With the Enforcement Directorate (ED) tightening its grip over the Congress party in the National Herald case, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge roared in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, 4 August, after he was interrupted by the Treasury benches.
Kharge was interrupted when he alleged that the autonomous bodies were being misused by the government to settle political scores.
Tweeting a video of the interaction, Kharge said in a tweet:
“Why is the Govt so hesitant to hear the Opposition? If they have answers to our questions why are they stifling our voices? What are they so afraid of? The House seems to be running by the will of the ruling party members rather than by the book.”
Countering his allegation, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal said, "The government does not interfere in the work of any law enforcement agency," he claimed.
"Maybe in their (Congress) rule, that used to happen. Now, if anyone does anything wrong, the agencies will do their duty," Goyal added.
This came a day after the ED sealed the office of Young Indian at the National Herald office and Delhi Police personnel were deployed outside the Congress headquarters on Akbar Road.
LoP Kharge also said in the Upper House, “I received ED summon, they called me at 12.30 pm. I want to abide by law, but is it right for them to summon when Parliament is in session? Is it right for Police to gherao residences of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi? We won't be scared, we will fight.”
Later in the day, Kharge appeared at the National Herald office, where he was summoned by the ED.
‘Not Scared of Narendra Modi’: Rahul Gandhi on ED Probe
Meanwhile, speaking about the ED's probe, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that it was an intimidation attempt by the Narendra Modi-led government.
He said, "They think they will be able to silence us with a little pressure...We won't be intimidated. We are not scared of Narendra Modi. They can do whatever they want."
Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi was questioned by the ED in the money laundering case last week.
The action by the probe agency was criticised by Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Ashok Gehlot, Abhishek Singhvi, and others.
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