On the 21st of May, a first information report (FIR) was filed against Sonia Gandhi, the interim President of the Indian National Congress.
Praveen K.V., a resident of Karnataka, filed a case against Sonia Gandhi and the Indian National Congress (INC) for making remarks on Prime Minister (PM) Cares Fund.
On the 11th of May, the official Twitter handle of the INC alleged misuse of PM Cares Fund. The twitter post read, ”
If the PM CARES fund is not being used for transport of migrants, repatriation of Indians from abroad or providing a financial stimulus, what is it being used for?#PMCareFraud pic.twitter.com/ZPrMdEyWbB
— Congress (@INCIndia) May 11, 2020
The Sagara town police of Shivamogga district registered the case under Sections 153 and 505 (1)(B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC.)
According to the allegations on the INC, they were trying to mislead and provoke people by making baseless remarks over PM Care fund money and its use.
Praveen K.V., in his FIR mentioned, “A Twitter account handled by All India Congress Committee headed by Sonia Gandhi had on May 11, 2020, published tweets terming PM CARES Fund as PM CARES Fraud. They had claimed that the PM CARES fund is not being used for the public.” He further added, ” “They had also said that the Prime Minister was enjoying and going to foreign trips with this fund. This is clearly rumourous news against the Government of India in this COVID-19 pandemic situation. In this regard, I had filed a complaint. After a primary enquiry, the Sagar Police has filed an FIR against Sonia Gandhi, who heads the INC Twitter account.”
Karnataka Congress spokesperson Subhash Agarwal condemned registration of case and said, “it is the role and responsibility of the opposition to question the government. Democracy will die if the opposition’s voice is muzzled.”
He also said the party had always maintained that there was no need for the PM-CARES Fund when the PM Relief Fund already existed.
Stay tuned for further updates.