Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. (File Photo)
Union Environment Minister and senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Saturday said the local court has granted bail, not medal, to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi, and he failed to understand why the Congress was in a celebratory mood.
"I don't understand why the Congress is celebrating the bail given by court to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. They have got bail, not a medal," Mr Javadekar told reporters in Bengaluru on the sidelines of an event, adding that "The court has also found the offence cognisable."
Rahul and Sonia had sought and were granted bail in the National Herald case after the court in Delhi rejected complainant Subramanian Swamy's opposition to relief for them on the ground that they are influential and can flee the country.
Mr Swamy had lodged a private criminal complaint against the mother and son for cheating, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.
Reacting to Sonia and Rahul's barb against Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of levelling 'false allegations' against them, Mr Javadekar said, "NDA government has nothing to do with the National Herald case."
Seizing the opportunity, the Congress leadership has turned the legal battle into a political one accusing PM Modi of deliberatley targeting the Opposition and making full use of the state agencies to do so.
This was the first time that the Gandhis appeared before a court in pursuance of the summons issued to them on December 8.