BJP criticizes Rahul Gandhi, labeling him a 'traitor' for questioning the Election Commission's integrity

The BJP on Monday dubbed Rahul Gandhi a "traitor" for his alleged remarks against the Election Commission, and accused him of venting out his frustration over the Enforcement Directorate action in the National Herald case on the poll body.

Gandhi, who is on a visit to the US, reportedly raised questions on the BJP-led coalition's victory in the Maharashtra assembly polls and alleged that the Election Commission of India was compromised.

There was no immediate reaction from the Congress to the BJP's charge.

Flaying Gandhi over his remarks, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "You are venting the ire over the Enforcement Directorate's (action in the National Herald case) on the Election Commission. Nothing will happen by doing so." "The ED will not spare you because agencies work on the basis of facts and the National Herald matter is an open and shut case. You will not be spared. You and your mother will be caught with proceeds of crime and sent to jail," he said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.

Both Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi will go behind the bars in connection with the case, he asserted.

"You are a traitor, not just because you insult Indian institutions and Indian democracy on foreign soil but also because you and your mother have embezzled crores of rupees of the country in the National Herald case. You and your mother will not be able to get away with this," Patra said.

The ED had recently filed a chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and others before a special court in New Delhi in the National Herald case accusing them of allegedly laundering Rs 988 crore.

The prosecution complaint filed on April 9 under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) named Sonia Gandhi, a former Congress president, as the accused no 1, and her son and MP Rahul Gandhi, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, as accused no 2.