Herald case: Cong dares PM to fight 'political battle' with Rahul instead of 'petty revenge'

The Congress Monday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight a "political battle" with Rahul Gandhi instead of seeking "petty revenge" after the BJP attacked the opposition party over the National Herald case.

The Delhi High Court Monday dismissed the pleas of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi challenging reopening of their tax assessments for 2011-12.

Congress communications' in-charge Randeep Surjewala claimed that the Modi government was "unnerved, perturbed and scared" by the "successful Bharat Bandh through which the people of India have sought accountability".

"They (the BJP) are now resorting to foolish press conferences by making stupid remarks that have no foundations. Perhaps in the history of this country such stupidity and foolishness may have never been committed by a ruling dispensation," Surjewala said.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, earlier, in a press conference, attacked the Congress, saying it has been exposed after the Delhi High Court dismissed the pleas of its leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Patra also trained guns at former prime minister Manmohan Singh and said he was complicit in the case and alleged that the Congress party has sold its conscience.

"Late in the evening, a BJP spokesperson, who is a Neem Hakeem Khatra-e-Jaan (quack)... was asked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do a press conference and level allegations about which he neither has any comprehension, nor understanding," he said.

"We humbly tell Modi ji, you want to fight Rahul Gandhi ji, we dare you to fight a political battle with him, don't hide behind petty revenge through the income tax department," Surjewala said.

The Delhi High Court bench also dismissed the petition of Congress leader Oscar Fernandes Monday who too had challenged the reopening of his tax assessment for the same year (2011-12).

The high court had on August 16 reserved its order on the pleas of the three leaders after the Income Tax Department had contended that Rahul Gandhi's tax assessment for 2011-12 was reopened as material facts were concealed.

In the complaint, Sonia, Rahul and others have been accused of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying just Rs 50 lakh, through which the Young India (YI) had obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) owed to the Congress party.