Digvijaya Singh lambasts BJP over 'bulldozer culture', 'campaign' against political opponents

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 12 : Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday lambasted the BJP government at the Centre, alleging that the ruling dispensation is beginning a "new bulldozer" culture and destroying the houses of the people who it claims to be involved in rioting.
The remarks of the Congress leader came at a time when bulldozers are being used in various parts of Uttar Pradesh to demolish the houses of the people who were allegedly involved in the violence that erupted on Friday over the controversial remarks by suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma.
Addressing a press conference here, Singh said, "An atmosphere of fear is created in the country. A new bulldozer culture has begun. The houses of the people are being destroyed at will. The BJP is running a campaign against the political opponents and some sections of society. We object to it."
Singh also came out in defence of Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi who have been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case. He hit out at the BJP stating that it is running a campaign against its political opponents.
This comes a day ahead of the date of summon issued by the central agency to Rahul Gandhi in the money laundering case.
"They forget that it is that family which did not bow down in front of the Britishers. They would not be scared of such summons. Rahul Gandhi will go to the ED office from the AICC office. The members of the parliamentary board will reach the AICC office tomorrow at 9.30 am," Singh said.
Claiming that the ED had closed the case in 2015, the Congress leader questioned BJP MP Subramanian Swamy over seeking a stay to the summon issued by the court to register his statement in the National Herald case.
"The case was registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after the Modi government came to power. The ED had closed the case in 2015 as it was baseless. No FIR has been registered till today. Subramanian Swamy filed a PIL in Delhi court seeking the registration of the FIR. The court issued the summons which was answered to. The facts were presented. Swamy was asked to give his statement in court. He challenged it in the High Court and it put a stay on it. If Swamy had facts with him, he should have presented them in court. What was the need to seek a stay from the High Court?" he said.
"The Congress leaders had started National Herald in 1937 to awaken people in the freedom struggle. But due to the condition of the print media these days, National Herald suffered losses. The employees were not able to be paid. The payment was made with the fund of the Congress party. A complaint was registered with the Election commission, to which it said that there is no such restriction on how the money is spent. ED also rejected it, there is not a single FIR and no proof," Singh added while speaking about the history of the organisation and claiming vendetta against the Congress leaders.
Meanwhile, the ED on Friday issued a fresh summons to Sonia Gandhi asking her to appear on June 23 for questioning in connection with the National Herald money laundering case.
Rahul Gandhi has been summoned to join the investigation on June 13. He was earlier summoned to join the investigation but he was out of the country and later he was given a fresh date of June 13 to join the probe.
Meanwhile, the Congress party has alleged that it is a "political vendetta" and the case has no grounds for investigation.
The ED also questioned senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Treasurer Pawan Bansal in April this year in New Delhi in connection with its money laundering probe into the National Herald case.