It’s Swamy’s politics at work: Oscar Fernandes

Mangaluru: It’s all political, remarked Congress Working Committee member Oscar Fernandes, one of the accused in the National Herald case, while lashing out at BJP leader Subramanian Swamy who has dragged Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others to court. After appearing before a Delhi court on Saturday, Mr Fernandes, who was in Mangaluru the same night, told DC, “Subramanian Swamy has been making pronouncements which normally the Judiciary does. He says, ‘I will send them (Sonia, Rahul and other accused in the case) to prison.’ Who has to send us to prison if found guilty?”

Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Oscar Fernandes, one of the accused in the National Herald case, has lashed out at BJP leader Subramanian Swamy claiming that his moves against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were political in nature.

After appearing before a court in Delhi on Saturday afternoon in connection with the case, Mr Fernandes flew down to Mangaluru Saturday night to participate in a family function. “Subramanian Swamy has been making pronouncements which normally the Judiciary has to do. He gives statements like ‘I will send them (Sonia, Rahul and other accused in the case) to prison.’ Who has to send us to prison if found guilty? Swamy keeps saying ‘I have told the PM ….I have kept the PM informed.’ If this is not political, then why has he to tell the PM?” the former Union minister wondered.

“Swamy says he would see to it that we are sent to prison. Now if he is going to send us to prison, then where is the need for a trial? We don’t have to reply to these issues. But he has been making these claims, so we have to react,” Mr Fernandes told DC.

On the Congress allowing Parliament to function, he said there was no connection between the working of Parliament and the National Herald case. “There are various issues which come up in Parliament. There is no connection between the working of the House and the Herald case,” he said.

Mr. Oscar Fernandes, who was in the court with Ms Sonia Gandhi and Mr. Rahul gandhi on Saturday, gave an account of what happened there.

“The magistrate asked us to furnish the bond (for bail) and we did. Subramanian Swamy pleaded that we should not be allowed to go abroad without the court’s permission. The magistrate overruled his plea. There was hardly any argument except this,” he said.

“Mr. Swamy did not even say that we should not be allowed to go abroad. He only said that we should not be permitted to go abroad without the court’s permission. All this was over in five minutes. After this, the process of providing surety and bonds to the court started.

“We were asked to appear on February 20. The legal procedure and directions of the court will be followed,” Mr. Oscar Fernandes said.