Subramanian Swamy's National Herald complaint was in personal capacity: Venkaiah Naidu

VIJAYAWADA: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said BJP leader Subramanian Swamy filed criminal complaint in the National Herald matter in his personal capacity and the issue should not be linked either to the party or the NDA Government.

Swamy lodged a private criminal complaint in the Herald issue when he was not in BJP. His actions are personal and they should not be linked either to BJP or NDA Government, he told reporters here.

Naidu, a former BJP President, was asked to comment on the high-voltage Herald case in which Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul have been named accused and were today granted unconditional bail by a Delhi Court.

The case relates to the transfer of shares of the defunct party newspaper 'Herald' to a newly-created company.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister criticised Congress for stalling important Bills in the Rajya Sabha and said the Opposition party's action was against the interests of the country.

"The Congress is acting against the interests of the nation by stalling important Bills in the Rajya Sabha," he said.

Though Congress feels its action is directed at the BJP, "the party is actually obstructing the development of the nation", the Union Minister said.

Sixteen important Bills, including those related to GST, real estate and inland waterways, are pending in the Upper House due to negative attitude of Congress, he said.

The principal Opposition party is stalling the proceedings in the House by making false allegations against the Prime Minister, Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, other senior Ministers and leaders of BJP, Naidu said.

They are doing so only to divert people's attention from the Herald case, the Union Minister said.