National Herald: Congress disrupts Rajya Sabha

The House was adjourned repeatedly amid protests by Congress members.

Congress members were seen raising slogans and disrupting the Rajya Sabha which forced the Speaker to adjourn it repeatedly.

The Parliament has been witnessing repeated disruptions over the issue for the past couple of days.

Giving a blow to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi, the Delhi High Court had dismissed  their petition which asked to cancel lower court's summons issued against them in connection with the National Herald newspaper case.

The National Herald newspaper was established in Lucknow on Sept 9, 1938 by first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, great-grandfather of Rahul Gandhi. The paper finally ceased operations in 2008.

The National Herald, before its closure was being run by Associated Journals. There were reports that the paper was being revived under journalist Suman Dubey, technocrat Sam Pitroda and the newly incorporated, Sonia Gandhi-owned Young India Company headquartered at Herald House.

The paper was to have come out by Children’s Day in 2011 but Rahul Gandhi, a member of the board of the Young India Company, had denied any plans on the part of the company to revive the paper.

The Congress said Sonia Gandhi and  Rahul Gandhi will appear in Delhi court on Dec 19 in National Herald newspaper property case.

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi might move the Supreme Court in the case of the paper where they were accused of acquiring National Herald property worth Rs. 5,000 crore though a caveat has been filed against that by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy.