Odisha Congress Protests at ED Office Over Modi and Shah's Arbitrary Actions

BHUBANESWAR: Accusing the Modi government of unjustly seizing the assets of the "National Herald" newspaper and filing arbitrary charge-sheets against Congress leaders,congress units under the leadership of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Bhakta Charan Das,across all districts staged protests in front of central government offices in district headquarters, The leaders condemned the Modi government's high-handedness, vindictiveness, and oppression.

Addressing a gathering here before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Bhubaneswar, the  PCC President Bhakta Charan Das has accused the Modi government of unjustly seizing the assets of the "National Herald" newspaper and filing arbitrary charge-sheets against Congress leaders. 

Das strongly condemned the Modi government's arbitrary actions, stating that the ED, under the directions of Modi and Shah, has filed a fabricated case and submitted a charge-sheet against Congress leaders. He described this as a blatant violation of India's legal and constitutional framework.

Das highlighted that the most shocking aspect is the lack of any financial transactions in the alleged National Herald case. He clarified that Young India, the company in question, is a non-profit organization registered under Section 25, with its directors receiving no salaries or profits. The company is not engaged in any commercial activities. "If no money has been transacted and no property has been transferred, where does the question of financial irregularity arise?" he questioned.

He said, the National Herald was established in 1938 by India's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, through the Associated Journals Limited to disseminate the message of India's freedom struggle to the masses.

The newspaper aimed to spread the ideals of the independence movement both within India and abroad. Nehru even donated his ancestral property in Lucknow for the publication of the newspaper,he said accusing  those who collaborated with the British during the freedom struggle of now misusing power to file false cases against Congress.

Quoting Rahul Gandhi's call to "not be afraid," Das emphasized that Congress leaders will not be intimidated. He condemned the Modi government's actions in seizing National Herald's assets and filing charge-sheets against senior Congress leaders as a gross misuse of power.

The Congress party and its leadership will not remain silent, Das asserted. "We have fought for the soul of India before, and we will fight again. We will not compromise on truth, justice, and the values of constitutional democracy. 'Satyameva Jayate' is not just a slogan for us—it is a firm belief," he said. He called for unity to confront authoritarianism with courage and protect truth and democracy.

The PCC held a protest meet in front of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Bhubaneswar. The protest was led by PCC President Bhakta Charan Das under the supervision of the  Bhubaneswar District Congress President Biswajit Das.

 Among others former PCC Presidents Jayadev Jena and Prasad Harichandan, Anant Prasad Sethi, Mohammad Muqim, Suresh Kumar Routaray, Nakul Nayak, Jagannath Pattnaik, Shibananda Ray, Manoranjana Dash, Janaki Ballabh Pattnaik, Shubhendu Mohanty, Sipra Mallick, Bankanidhi Behera, Ranjit Patra, Udhit Pradhan, Sudhanshu Deo, Tarun Mishra, Rajani Mohanty, Sonali Sahu, Jayshree Patra, Rajiv Pattnaik, Bishwaranjan Mohanty, Subrat Mahapatra, Deepak Kumar Mahapatra, Ashok Das, Shantanu Sahu, Jayakrishna Subudh, Madhusmita Acharya, Madhusmita Sethi, Sangram Mohanty, Binu Pani, Sushant Tripathy, Pranati Mishra, Manas Mallick, Manisha Das Pattnaik, Sudhanshu Mohanty, Sili Sethi, Prasanna Nayak, Chinmay Sundar Das, Rajakishore Barik, Pratap Pradhan, Mihir Acharya, Manoranjana Routaray, Prashant Champati, and many student, youth, and women Congress workers joined the protest meet.