Damu should read about National Herald before commenting: Patkar

Panaji: Goa BJP president Damodar ‘Damu’ Naik should first read about the history of National Herald and its contribution to India’s freedom struggle before making baseless statements about the ongoing National Herald case and allegations against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, said state Congress president Amit Patkar on Tuesday.
“Damu Naik should read the history first. Those who have no contribution to the freedom struggle of the country will talk about it now?” Patkar said.
AICC spokesperson Syed Naseer Hussain was in Goa on Tuesday as part of Congress’ national campaign “to bring awareness and facts to the public in the National Herald case”.
“With the National Herald case, BJP is trying to divert attention of the country from real issues. Time and again this case has been racked up. This issue has been created by BJP to harass the top leadership of Congress. They are harassing not only the Gandhi family members who are in politics, but also those who are not into politics,” Hussain said.
The chargesheet filed in the case is not in the public domain and there is no proof shown yet on any money trail or exchange or money or property which can make up a money laundering case as alleged, said Hussain.
The case alleges that Congress gave an interest-free loan of Rs 90.2 crore to Associated Journals Limited (AJL) – the company that published The National Herald newspaper, which was facing financial difficulties and eventually stopped publishing in 2008.
“AJL has Rs 5,000 crore of property. IT department has gone through the entire case and no property was found transferred in anybody’s name. This is politics of creating fear and of threats. Congress will not back out and move forward,” Hussain said.