After 5-Minute Hearing, Sonia And Rahul Gandhi's Show Of Strength

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi today attacked the Narendra Modi government, accusing it of misusing central agencies to target opponents.

In short statements after they got bail at a five-minute hearing at Delhi's Patiala House courts in the National Herald case, both the top Congress leaders also said that their party was "not afraid."

At the Patiala House courts, a gate had been reserved for their cars to drive in, but both leaders made a political point by stopping their vehicles outside the court complex. They then walked into the court with smiles on their faces.

Within minutes they were out and drove straight to the Congress headquarters at 24 Akbar Road not far from Patiala House in the heart of Delhi.

"I appeared in court as a law abiding citizen...with a clear conscience," said Mrs Gandhi at the Congress headquarters, adding, "The central government is misusing government agencies to target the opponents. We are not afraid. Our fight will continue. Our struggle for Congress policies and in the interest of the poor will continue."

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi accused the Modi government of making false allegations against political opponents and said, "The Congress and I will not bend. We will continue to struggle for the poor."

Mr Gandhi has accused the Modi government of indulging in "political vendetta," in the National Herald case, which has been filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. He has accused the Gandhis and four others of attempting to illegally acquire real estate worth thousands of crores belonging to the National Herald, a newspaper founded by Jawaharlal Nehru and now defunct.

The Gandhis were accompanied in court by top Congress leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He later said, "We are united in support. We will give a determined fight because we stand for certain values."

Sonia Gandhi's daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present in court. She went there after holding a strategy meeting at senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad's house.   

The Congress staged a show of strength through the day with hundreds of leaders and workers crowding the party office since morning. In other cities, Congress workers protested against the Modi government.