Panchkula (Haryana) [India], December 17 (ANI): Leader of Opposition in Haryana Assembly and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday termed the National Herald case 'politically motivated' and asked the Centre to prioritise public welfare over 'political revenge'.

Under the leadership of Congress chief Rao Narender Singh and Bhupinder Hooda, party workers held a protest in Haryana's Panchkula over the National Herald case.

Speaking to ANI, Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, 'The verdict given by the court yesterday shows that this case was politically motivated. We demand that public welfare be prioritised over political revenge.'

On Tuesday, the Delhi court declined to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's prosecution complaint in the National Herald money-laundering case, holding that proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) are not maintainable in the absence of an FIR for the scheduled (predicate) offence.

The court stated that the ED's complaint against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, Young Indian, Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd and others was based on a private complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and the summoning order passed on it in 2014, and not on any FIR. It held that such a complaint cannot substitute the statutory requirement of an FIR under the PMLA framework.

Earlier today, Karnataka Congress leaders also staged protests near the Gandhi statue at Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi against the Central government over the National Herald case.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader DK Shivakumar said that the court's order exposed the 'BJP's vendetta politics.'

In an X post, Shivakumar said, 'The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee stands united in defence of truth, constitutional values and democracy. We came together today at the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, Belagavi, to raise our voice in solidarity and reaffirm our commitment to justice and the rule of law. The dismissal of the National Herald case exposes the BJP's vendetta politics and misuse of investigative agencies to target the Congress leadership. The Congress party will continue to resist political persecution and defend democratic institutions without fear or compromise. Satyamev Jayate.'

Several Opposition MPs also protested on the Parliament premises over the case, holding posters bearing the slogan 'Satyamev Jayate; Truth prevails!' (ANI)