Congress accuses BJP of 'threat politics' as ED seals Young Indian office at Herald House

After Enforcement Directorate (ED) sealed the premises of Young Indian in the Congress-owned National Herald office in New Delhi in connection with a money laundering probe, the Congress accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of practicing 'threat politics'. Party MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi alleged that the reason for this development is to divert from unemployment, inflation and other issues.

Addressing a press conference, Singhvi said, "We are seeing an open-ended investigation for events 10 years ago with siege mentality in the heart of the capital of the world's largest democracy. Can we believe it? I was astonished to believe that people cannot come and go. There are platoons everywhere on the other side of the road also apart from Tughlaq lane. The only sole objective of this exercise is humiliation, insult and intimidation at one level."

Singhvi said that the other reason is diversion, digression and sensationalism. "They want no talks on unemployment and inflation. Today you have created a siege mentality and a climate of fear. Investigating agencies are deployed mindlessly against the leadership of India's oldest party."

Targeting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he called the action a result of a frustrated political regime and accused the saffron party of doing "threat politics".

"You can try and suppress as much as you like you will receive resilence and a reaction which is completely democratic. We cannot find stronger words to condemn it," the Congress leader said,

Congress leader Ajay Maken claimed the party has received a letter from DCP against holding a protest on August 5 against the price rise.

"AICC was turned into a Police cantonment. Government may suppress us as much as they want but we will protest against inflation, unemployment, GST on edible items and go ahead with our schedule even if jailed," he said.

On Tuesday, the ED raided the head office of the National Herald newspaper in Delhi and 11 other locations as part of its probe. The premises of Young Indian has been sealed. The ED had earlier questioned Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi in the case.