Congress to protest at ED offices Monday over summons to Rahul Gandhi

Congress leaders and ministers in Maharashtra will stage protests outside the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) offices in Mumbai and Nagpur on June 13 against the Centre's "dictatorship" in view of the anti-money laundering agency issuing notices to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her MP son Rahul Gandhi in a "false" case, state unit president Nana Patole said on Saturday.

Talking to reporters here, Patole accused the Modi government of hatching a conspiracy to implicate Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in a false case.

The ED has issued summons against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in a money laundering case linked to the National Herald-AJL deal.

Patole said demonstrations will be held outside the offices of the ED in Mumbai and Nagpur wherein all senior leaders and ministers of Congress will be present.

He alleged the BJP government at the Centre is acting with a political vendetta against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

"As part of the Central government's ploy to silence the opposition by misusing the Central agencies, the ED has issued notices to Soniaji and Rahulji by implicating them in a fake case. To protest against this dictatorial attitude of the BJP, protests will be held in front of the ED offices in Mumbai and Nagpur on June 13," he said.

The protest in Mumbai will be led by Patole and the one in Nagpur by Energy Minister Nitin Raut.

Patole said Congress is not scared of "repression tactics" being used by the Modi government.

He accused the Central government of violating democratic principles and Constitution.

"The Modi government has turned the Central investigative agencies like the CBI, ED, Income Tax, NCB into puppets and they are being misused to silence the opposition. Leaders of opposition parties across the country are being raided and action is being taken against them. The Congress party has been constantly raising its voice against the oppressive, tyrannical and arbitrary rule of the BJP," he said.

Patole said Congress had taken to the streets against the Centre on issues like the demand for the repeal of three "black" agriculture laws, inflation and unemployment.