Congress puts weight behind Gandhis

Supporters from Rae Bareli flock to AICC HQ, shout slogans of support

In a massive show of support for the Congress top brass, party workers turned out at the AICC headquarters from Saturday morning onwards, ahead of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s appearance at the Patiala House courts for a hearing in the National Herald case.

The court, within minutes, granted them bail. Members of the Youth Congress, Mahila Congress and a large contingent of the party’s workers from Mrs Gandhi’s constituency, Rae Bareli, flocked to the party headquarters.

The biggest takeaway from Saturday’s show of strength by the Congress was how the party united in its support to the Gandhis. Almost every leader of importance was present at the party headquarters or in the court. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally furnished their bail and supported the party’s decision to “unite and give a determined fight”.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Gandhi family has faith in the judiciary. “We will fight the legal battle in accordance with the law and we will fight the political battle with the Modi government both inside Parliament and also by being the voice of 125 crore people of this country,” he said.

While the Gandhi family was armed with its battery of senior lawyers inside the court room, the party workers and senior leaders turned the opportunity to show solidarity with the family.

At the AICC headquarters, slogans were raised in support of the Gandhis by the party workers. The workers celebrated when the Gandhis got bail and played patriotic songs.

Since Saturday morning, protests all over the country by Congress workers were being reported. Keeping in mind the nature of the case, the Delhi police wireless constantly buzzed, new layers of security came up every minute and an expectant crowd gathered in front of the Patiala House courts complex, which became the seat of action in the high-profile case, throwing traffic in central Delhi out of gear.

The running commentary of the huge posse of mediapersons covering the court appearance of the Gandhis reached a crescendo as the mother-son duo reached at around 2.45 pm.

Former Delhi chief minister Dikshit said the turnout of the top party leadership in the court should not be seen as a “show of strength” while Rajeev Shukla said “respecting” the court, only limited people had come.

“We are concerned and worried and with the leadership, that's all. There’s no show per se. The party has been saying that it will fight the case legally. Let's see, at the moment it's a legal battle,” Ms Dikshit said