Congress leader Deepa Dasmunshi says party’s stand on Central agency actions only based on merit of case

Congress accuses ED of political vendetta against leaders, while CPI(M) faces SFIO case; allegations of money laundering and political motives.

Even as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] has condemned the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet against senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others in the National Herald case, the Congress has sought to qualify its stand on similar actions by Central agencies against Opposition parties, including the CPI(M).

Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on Monday (April 21, 2025), Deepa Dasmunshi, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Kerala, said that any stand on such actions can be taken only based on the merit of the case.

Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the Serious Fraud Investigation Organisation (SFIO) case against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter and software entrepreneur, Veena Thaikkandiyil, cannot be called politically motivated.

“The case did not originate from allegations levelled by any Opposition party. It is evident that money laundering has happened as Exalogic got money from the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) without providing any service. The case will be used as a bargaining tool during this election year. Beyond that, the Central agencies will not trouble the CPI(M) or Pinarayi Vijayan. Till now, the agencies have saved the party and its leadership in all the cases that have cropped up because there is an understanding between the BJP and the CPI(M),” said Mr. Satheesan.

The reactions come in the backdrop of CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby’s comments to the media in Chennai recently during which he said the party does not have any double standards regarding politically motivated actions of Central agencies and would condemn all such actions against Opposition parties.

Ms. Dasmunshi said that the action against the Congress leaders in the National Herald case is aimed at diverting the attention of the public from important issues including unemployment, economic crisis, social disorder and foreign policy challenges.

“Allegations of money laundering are being raised, even though not a single paisa was transferred from Associated Journals Limited (AJL) to Young Indian, a non-profit organisation formed to extend a loan to the National Herald newspaper which was struggling due to financial losses. The Congress party had stepped in to revive it using funds collected from party workers through cheque as it was a symbol of national pride which had to be preserved,” she said.