Bengaluru, December 17, 2025 – In a show of solidarity with the party's central leadership, Karnataka Congress workers and leaders staged a vigorous protest near the Gandhi statue at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Wednesday, hailing a Delhi court's dismissal of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) money-laundering complaint in the long-running National Herald case as a major blow to the BJP-led Centre's "conspiracy" against the Gandhis.
The demonstration, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, drew hundreds of party cadres who raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of weaponizing central agencies for political vendetta. Protesters carried placards reading "Modi-Shah Must Resign" and "End the Politics of Hatred," while burning effigies symbolizing the alleged misuse of the ED and Income Tax Department.
"This verdict exposes the illegality of the Modi government fully. The National Herald, founded by Jawaharlal Nehru during India's freedom struggle, is the pride of our nation—not a tool for BJP's revenge politics," Shivakumar declared to reporters amid the chants. He further slammed the ED, stating, "The agency's image stands tarnished today. This is a victory not just for Sonia ji and Rahul ji, but for democracy itself."
Siddaramaiah echoed the sentiment, terming the court's ruling a "vindication" and vowing to continue the fight "both inside and outside the legislatures." The protest also doubled as a broader critique of the Centre's policies, with participants condemning the proposed renaming of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to the "Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025." Congress leaders alleged the move erases Gandhi's legacy and undermines a flagship welfare scheme that has empowered rural India.
The National Herald case, which has simmered for over a decade, stems from allegations of financial irregularities in the revival of the iconic newspaper by the Associated Journals Limited, a company linked to the Congress. BJP MP Subramanian Swamy filed a private complaint in 2012, accusing Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others—including party treasurer Pawan Bansal and former leaders Motilal Vora and Sam Pitroda—of misappropriating funds through a chain of loans and share transfers totaling around ₹90 crore. The ED later invoked the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2022, leading to summons and raids.
On Tuesday, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal of a Delhi court refused to take cognisance of the ED's supplementary chargesheet, ruling that the probe originated from a private complaint rather than a formal FIR, rendering it procedurally invalid under PMLA provisions. The court observed that the ED's actions lacked the foundational legal basis required for such prosecutions.
The relief has electrified the Congress, with similar protests erupting in Parliament. Senior leaders, including AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, staged a sit-in at the Parliament House complex, demanding an unconditional apology from the Centre and the resignation of Modi and Shah. "This is the BJP's conspiracy foiled at the altar of justice," Venugopal said, as MPs waved black flags and raised anti-government slogans.
The BJP, however, dismissed the court's order as a "technicality" and vowed to pursue the matter through appeals. Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra accused the Congress of "celebrating corruption" and claimed the Gandhis would eventually face accountability.
As the winter session of the Karnataka Assembly unfolds in Belagavi, the protests signal escalating tensions between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP ahead of key legislative debates. With the National Herald verdict providing fresh ammunition, the Congress appears emboldened to counter the Centre's narrative on governance and accountability.
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