India’s opposition Congress party president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi were granted bail after appearing in a court on Saturday in connection with a corruption case, their lawyer, R. S. Cheema, told CNN’s New Delhi bureau.
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“The current government is purposely targeting political opponents using government agencies”, the Congress chief also said. Congress leader and senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, who appeared in court for the Gandhis, said the court has granted bail without imposing any restrictions.
Rahul’s grandmother, Indira Gandhi, was prime minister when she was gunned down in 1984 by her Sikh bodyguards.
Congress sources however said party leaders may converge at party’s central office at 24, Akbar Road, on their own to express solidarity with two top party leaders.
The legal battle has sown further bitterness between the Congress party and Modi, who had vowed a “Congress-free India” before he crushed the Gandhis in an election a year ago.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP said corruption was synonymous with the Congress party, whether in power or otherwise.
The mother-son duo got bail on furnishing personal bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety each. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stood surety for the Congress president, while Priyanka Vadra gave surety for her brother Rahul.
The court fixed February 20, 2016 at 2 pm for the next hearing.
“This is a victory for democracy”, Swamy told media outside the court premises.
Swamy later claimed that he had not opposed the bail, but had told the court that conditions should be imposed on the Gandhis travel overseas since they were in the habit of running away from the country..
Later in the day, Sonia said, “Today we had appeared before the court with a clean conscience”. “Law of the land is applicable to all. I do not have slightest doubt that the truth will come out”, she said, and also made a reference to her mother-in-law Indira Gandhi who had fought cases against her and returned to power in 1980. But despite the missive, party took all the limelight, alleging “political vendetta” resorted by the government, to target its leaders. “Whatever we shall have to do as per the law, we will do”, Azad said. Our fight will continue. “We will keep fighting for the poor and as an Opposition party, not move back an inch”.
Ms. Gandhi said everyone was aware of the campaign of false allegations launched against the Congress by its political rivals.
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Though Congress feels its action is directed at the BJP, “the party is actually obstructing the development of the nation”, the Union Minister said.
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The National Herald was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru before Independence and the paper was closely associated with the country’s freedom struggle.
