"Congress has a history of scams": Rajasthan Minister Jogaram Patel

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 16 : Rajasthan Minister Jogaram Patel on Wednesday accused the Congress party of having a history of scams, citing the coal scam as an example.
Patel's remarks come in response to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) recent chargesheet against Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case.
Speaking to the ANI, Patel said, "Congress has a history of scams. From the coal scam to most of the scams in the country, Congress has its name on them. The investigating agency has been investigating the National Herald case for a long time."
He defended the ED's investigation, saying that the agency has collected records and documents over a long period. Patel criticised Congress for opposing the chargesheet, suggesting that the party is trying to save the alleged scam.
"After a long investigation, after taking records on many facts and documents, if ED presents a chargesheet in the court and Congress opposes it, then Congress is trying to save the scam... They should have faith in the judicial system; only those who do not have faith in the judicial process make such statements...," said Patel.
Following the chargesheet, the Congress Party has launched a massive protest against the Central government and investigative agencies. Protests have been organised across the country, with several prominent leaders at the forefront.
In Delhi, some of the Congress leaders were detained by the Delhi Police as they attempted to breach security cordons near the Congress office. On Wednesday, Congress leader Amit Chavda criticised the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) prosecution complaint against the Gandhis, calling it a politically motivated move aimed at diverting public attention from key national issues.
"This is being done to distract the people from real issues and to threaten the opposition," Chavda told reporters. "Institutions like the ED and CBI are being misused to suppress dissent."
Party MP Imran Pratapgarhi alleged that the ED action was being carried out as the BJP was sensing defeat in the upcoming elections in Bihar and Assam.
"The agency through which the fight has been taken to the court has the intention only to harass the Opposition. A session is held in Gujarat; Rahul Gandhi reaches Modasa, and here, a chargesheet is filed. You understand the chronology. In the wake of the upcoming Bihar elections, Congress' activity in Gujarat, its possible defeat in the upcoming Assam elections and the alertness of the opposition, the BJP wants to crush the opposition completely...But BJP forgets that this is Gandhi family which has numerous sacrifices for the country...Congress is protesting across the country."
Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, "This is a politically motivated case. We have faith in the judicial system. We will fight it out legally... Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have been purposefully targeted. This has been done to suppress the voice of the opposition..."
On Tuesday, the ED filed a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey and others, including several firms. The matter has been listed for arguments on cognisance in the Delhi Rouse Avenue Court on April 25.
In response, Congress strongly protested the move and is scheduled to hold a nationwide protest on Wednesday in front of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) offices at the district level in respective states against the BJP-led government.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed the complaint against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, their associated companies, and other individuals.