Somebody misled Modi to say nation needs 'bitter medicine', says Subramanian Swamy (India TV Exclusive)
New Delhi: For the first time since the Modi government took over the reins of power, a senior BJP leader has come out in the open to express his divergent view on Narendra Modi's ‘bitter
Q: Dr. Swamy, let's start with National Herald case. Finally, you have succeeded in getting summons issued against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi but the Congress party says that this case is purely politically motivated and an act of revengeful witch-hunt. They say it was their duty to help National Herald and its 700 odd employees. How would you react to that?
Swamy: First of all, the SC has a number of times said that when a complaint is made, the motive of the complainant can't be gone into. Just the facts which are presented before the court must be gone into. Now it's an insult of the court to say that I wanted to take revenge against Sonia Gandhi and therefore, I went to court and got the summons issued. Is it possible? It's a contempt of court. It shows the low regard the Congress has for the court system in our country. This is a case which I had started when UPA was in power, one and a half years ago. During that period, it never occurred to them that they should do something. They never turned in court when I argued the whole matter on prima facie evidence. Now they have been found prima facie guilty of fraud, cheating and conspiracy and they have to answer that.
Q: Abhishek Manu Singhvi says he will legally demolish your case.
Swamy: (Laughs…) He is talking like all these children in schools. Ask him to come before India TV and have a debate with me. I'll finish him.
Q: Just for the benefit of our audience, What are the main points of this National Herald case?
Swamy: The main point is this. You start from the last step. There was a company set up called “Young Indian Pvt Ltd Company”. They make a big thing that it's a non-profit, section 25 company. So what? Who is the owner of the company. The owner of the company is the mother-son duo who own 76 percent stake. Each of them own 38 percent each. Tomorrow if the company is wound up, the assets of the company will be distributed in that proportion. Second, all the expenses of travel etc are done from company's fund. Forget Rahul Gandhi's idiotic answer that it's a non-profit company. Tomorrow I can't say that I have formed a non-profit company and am going to take over Humayun's tomb which is nearby. How can you take it over?
So as I said, let's go with the last step. A company which was set up only with Rs. 5 lakh and no assets whatsoever has come to acquire between 2000-5000 crore worth of property. In fact, their office was at 10, Janpath which is itself illegal. They have properties in Delhi at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, in Mumbai where they have built a multi-story luxury apartment, in Bhopal where they have built a mall, in Indore where they have made a huge mall-cum-residential complex and then in Lucknow, Patna and Chandigarh. Now how can a Rs. 5 Lakh company come to own 2000 crore worth of property?
Q: Do you find any merit in their argument that they extended loan because they find emotionally attached to National Herald?
Swamy: Alright, this argument was given when Congress gave Rs 90 crores to National Herald to wipe out the debt. But what does the press statement say? It says – in order for the National Herald to resume publication of National Herald. But what happened in the end? That company has been digested by “Young Indian” which in its memorandum of association clearly says publishing is not a part. One of our friends sent an email in this regard to Rahul Gandhi and he confirmed – No Publishing. So they have killed National Herald. This is a very strange way of showing love for National Herald by killing it.
Q: You have also pointed out that the business transaction that the Congress has entered into is illegal.
Swamy: That is a separate issue. That's Income-tax issue. That is not in the court.
Q: If it's illegal then why your own govt is not taking any action?
Swamy: After I wrote that letter, I'm told they are now taking action.
Q: Dr Swamy, people say that your hatred for Nehru-Gandhi family is well known. It goes back to the time when you had questioned Sonia Gandhi's job as an insurance agent and Indira Gandhi was forced to intervene…
Swamy: And agree with me. I had not made any false charge.
Q: Yes. But what is the reason behind this hatred for Sonia Gandhi. Can you explain the background to your anti-Sonia Gandhi stand?
Swamy: You started by saying Nehru family. Actually, Rajiv Gandhi and I were such good friends that we had an alliance between Janata Party and Congress. I made Chandrashekhar Prime Minister. I defended Rajiv Gandhi on issues like Sri Lanka, IPKF and Maldives. I was almost like a brother to him. We used to sit together in parliament. So, it's wrong to say that I have hatred for the family.
Q: I said the perception is there.
Swamy: Perception? It's easy in our country. They don't want you to go into the merits of the argument. They would just say that he has enmity with her.
As far as Sonia Gandhi is concerned, I have no hatred. I have contempt for her.
Q: But there was a time when you were also on good terms with Sonia Gandhi. You had that famous tea party with Sonia and Jayalalithaa that brought down the Vajpayee govt.
Swamy: Yes. We did business together to bring down the BJP led NDA government.