Union Minister Smriti Irani, who is being criticised by the Congress over claims that her 18-year-old daughter is operating a “illegal bar” in Goa, has fired back, claiming that it is her mother’s responsibility for holding news conferences about “the robbery of Rs 5,000 crore by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.” She insisted that her daughter does not own or operate a bar and is a first-year college student.
“My daughter’s fault is that her mother holds a press conference on the loot of Rs 5,000 crore by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. It is her fault because her mother opposed Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 and 2019,” said the MP.
In connection with a money laundering investigation connected to National Herald, the Enforcement Directorate is questioning the Gandhis. When the Congress objected to the investigation agency questioning Rahul Gandhi, Ms. Irani had spoken at a news conference the previous month and accused them of attempting to safeguard “illegal properties worth over Rs 2,000 crore” owned by the Gandhi family.
In a press conference, Ms. Irani claimed that the Congress “assassinated” and “publicly damaged” the character of her daughter, and she dared the Opposition party to provide evidence of any wrongdoing. She denied the allegations and promised to look for answers “in the court of law and the court of people.”
Rahul Gandhi was also dared by her to run for the Amethi Lok Sabha seat once more in 2024. She vowed that he would lose once more.
In a statement, Kirat Nagra’s lawyer denied that his client, Smriti Irani’s daughter, is the owner or operator of the restaurant known as Silly Souls Goa or that she has ever been served with a show-cause notice by any authority, contrary to what is reported.
The well-known politician Smriti Irani, the mother of our client, has been the target of a number of “misleading, malicious, frivolous, and defamatory social media posts being made by various vested quarters trying to settle political scores with her.” Kirat Nagra claimed that each of these posts is “based on blatant falsehoods.”
“It is unfortunate that they have resorted to spreading false propaganda only to sensationalise a non-issue without obtaining true facts and with a predetermined objective of defaming our client for only being the daughter of a political leader,” the attorney said, calling the accusations “baseless.”
Congress released a copy of the show cause notice sent to the bar and noted that it is a “very serious issue.” They also claimed that the excise agent who issued the notice is apparently being relocated as a result of pressure from authorities. According to party spokesman Pawan Khera, the bar’s licence was obtained in the name of a person who has been deceased for more than a year.
Smriti Irani’s dismissal has been demanded by the grand old party from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
After receiving a complaint from lawyer and activist Aires Rodrigues, Narayan Gad, Excise Commissioner of Goa, issued a show-cause notice to the restaurant on July 21. According to Mr. Rodrigues, the owners filed “false and forged paperwork” to obtain the licence.
Additionally, he claimed that after the notice was issued, the Goa BJP administration started the transfer process for the Excise Commissioner.
In response to Ms. Irani’s press conference, Mr. Rodrigues stated that “there is enough evidence to this effect” and that “the whole world knows that this upscale “Silly Souls Cafe and Bar” is managed and run by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani’s family at Bhouta Vaddo in Assagao Village at Goa.”
He added that “we would know about the ghost that runs the show” at the hearing over the notice on July 29. Smriti Irani’s family allegedly has additional prime properties in Goa, which he said should be the subject of an investigation by law enforcement.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
