M A I N   N E W S

Cong dares Swamy to sue Sonia, Rahul
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 2
Hitting back at Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy, a combative Congress today challenged the well-known Gandhi family baiter to move court to prove the fresh allegations he has levelled against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, stating that the onus is on him to prove these charges.

What Swamy said * Sonia and Rahul floated a company ‘Young Indian’ that acquired a company, The Associated Journals Ltd, owner and publisher of the National Herald newspaper * In 2011, the board of Associated Journals approved unsecured loans from the AICC on zero interest to “extinguish the liability of the company of more than `90 crore” * In lieu of the loan, the board decided to allot all Associated Journal’s nine crore shares to Young Indian, in which Sonia and Rahul hold more than three-fourths shares Congress’ take * The Congress admitted it had given interest-free loans to Associated Journals to revive National Herald, but no commercial profit accrued from it * The party simply did its duty in supporting the newspaper that was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1937

“If Swamy has the guts, he should file a case in court… if there’s a violation of any law of the land, then approach the courts,” Congress spokesperson PC Chacko dared the Janata Party chief today, adding that it was the responsibility of those who had levelled allegations to prove them.

Accusing Swamy of making wild charges, Chacko said the Congress will not succumb to his blackmailing tactics and it was up to him to prove these allegations in court. This was in contrast to Rahul Gandhi’s statement yesterday in which he threatened to “pursue all legal actions” against Swamy.

The Congress challenge came a day after Swamy alleged that Sonia and Rahul had floated a company called Young Indian that acquired public limited company The Associated Journals Ltd, owner and publisher of the National Herald and Qaumi Awaz newspapers.

“The deal is a sham, bogus and a violation of several laws. It is a fraud committed to grab Herald House in Delhi valued at about Rs 1,600 crore,” Swamy had charged.

Swamy alleged that the board of Associated Journals had passed a resolution in February 2011 approving unsecured loans from the AICC on zero interest to “extinguish the liability of the company of more than Rs 90 crore”.

Stating that it was “illegal for a political party to give loans to any company, he said the resolution mandated that in lieu of this deal with the AICC, the board decided to allot all Associated Journal’s nine crore shares of Rs 10 each to Young Indian, the private company in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold more than three-fourths of the total shares”.

The Congress today admitted that it had given interest-free loans to Associated Journals for the revival of National Herald. In a late night statement, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said the party had extended the loans , but “no commercial profit has accrued” to the party.

The Congress had simply done its duty in supporting National Herald and other newspapers that were founded by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1937 and played a role in the country’s freedom movement, Dwivedi added.

Stating that it was on sound legal ground, a senior party leader explained that the Congress had extended a loan to Associated Journals to settle the dues of National Herald and Quami Awaz employees when the two bankrupt newspapers were closed down.

The holding company Associated Journals was subsequently wound up and the Young Indian was set up on legal advice to avoid any fresh legal liabilities. The Young Indian has been registered as a non-profit company under Section 25, he underlined.

In his response to Swamy, Rahul Gandhi wrote back to him last night describing these charges as “utterly false, entirely baseless and defamatory” and threatened to take recourse to legal action.

Swamy retaliated by challenging the Gandhis to sue him for defamation. The Congress, however, changed tack today, stating that Rahul’s letter amounted to a legal notice. Chacko parried questions on whether the party would sue Swamy. “All options are open to us,” he said enigmatically.