National Herald row: Top Congress leaders detained during protest against ED
The protest, a part of a nationwide show of dissent, was sparked by the ED’s recent chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi & Rahul;
Guwahati, April 16: The city was abuzz with political tension on Wednesday as several prominent leaders from the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) were detained during a protest march against the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet in the National Herald case.
Among those detained were APCC President Bhupen Borah, Ripun Borah, Mira Borthakur, Sarukhetri MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar, and several party workers.
The group marched from Rajiv Bhawan to the ED office in Guwahati, raising slogans like “Modi, go back!” and “Amit Shah, go back!” before the police intervened and halted the rally.
The protest, which was part of a nationwide show of dissent, was sparked by the ED’s recent chargesheet against Congress stalwarts Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in an alleged money laundering case.
Amid heightened security, the leaders and protestors were bundled into a bus and taken into custody, briefly escalating tensions near the protest site.
Addressing the press before his detention, Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of using central agencies to target political opponents and suppress free speech.
“Journalists, opposition leaders—especially those from the Congress—are being systematically targeted for speaking against the government,” Bordoloi said.
He further condemned the action against National Herald, a publication established by Jawaharlal Nehru during India’s freedom struggle, calling it “undemocratic”.
Senior Congress leader Ripun Borah also came down heavily on the Centre, alleging political vendetta.
“We will not allow ED, CBI, and other institutions to be turned into political weapons. This is an orchestrated move by Modi and Shah to silence dissent,” he said.
The Enforcement Directorate filed its chargesheet in a Delhi court on April 9, naming Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, and others, including the companies Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd.
The case is being heard by Special Judge Vishal Gogne, who has scheduled the next hearing for April 25.
The ED has invoked multiple sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including those related to corporate liability, seeking up to seven years’ imprisonment for the accused.
Despite mounting legal and political pressure, Congress leaders have vowed to continue their resistance, asserting that they are fighting not just for party leadership but to “safeguard democracy and constitutional values”.
