Telangana Congress protests ED chargesheet against Sonia, Rahul in National Herald case
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) staged a massive protest in Hyderabad on Thursday against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for naming senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in its chargesheet in the National Herald case.
Led by TPCC, the protest began with a rally from Gun Park to the ED office at Basheerbagh, where hundreds of Congress workers and leaders participated. The demonstration culminated in a sit-in outside the ED office.
Among those present were AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud, state ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and other senior party leaders.
Speaking at the protest, Mahesh Kumar Goud strongly criticised the BJP-led Centre, accusing it of misusing central agencies as tools for political revenge. He alleged that the ED chargesheet against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi was part of a conspiracy driven by the Modi government’s inability to tolerate Rahul Gandhi’s rising popularity.
“The aim of this protest is to expose the truth to the people of Telangana,” Mahesh Kumar Goud said, adding that granting a ₹90 crore loan to National Herald does not amount to money laundering. He maintained that no illegal transactions occurred in relation to the newspaper and called the charges completely baseless.
Mahesh Kumar Goud accused the BJP of launching these cases as Rahul Gandhi gains momentum nationally, especially after his advocacy for caste census and strong performances in recent political campaigns. He said the Gandhi family has never been afraid of legal persecution and called Rahul Gandhi a fighter and the voice of the people.
He also questioned why only opposition leaders are targeted by investigative agencies during election time, calling it a pattern under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Mahesh Kumar Goud further challenged the BJP by highlighting the historical sacrifices made by the Gandhi family in India’s freedom struggle. “Can the BJP name even one freedom fighter from their party?” he asked, criticising the ruling party for trying to tarnish that legacy through fabricated cases.
He said that the BJP is unnerved by Rahul Gandhi’s growing influence and is resorting to legal harassment in desperation ahead of key elections.