New Delhi, July 23 (UNI) Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday came down heavily on the Congress for making allegations against her daughter and said she will see them in court, hours after Congress leaders alleged that a restaurant linked to her daughter obtained a bar license illegally in Goa.
Irani held a press conference and slammed the Congress for "publically mutilating" her daughter's character.
"My daughter is a student, she does not run a bar," Irani said.
"I want to ask that Congressperson... Where my daughter's names in the papers that they flashed."
"An 18 years old child, a college student, her character today was assassinated by Congressmen at congress headquarters. Her fault is that her mother fought against Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. This 18 years old girl's character has been assassinated by Congress. Her fault is that her mother does press conferences against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi," said Irani.
"The girl who was attacked today is not in politics. She is a college student. But a Congress spokesperson flashed a papers and alleged she runs an illegal bar".
"I want to tell Pawan Khera, my 18 year old daughter studies in college. She does not run a bar. Pawan Khera said my daughter was given show cause notice, I want to ask where is her name in the papers? Jairam Ramesh said it is based on an RTI. They are blaming my daughter on the basis of an RTI, is her name there?"
"Congress spokespersons laughed and said I hold press conferences against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi... I will keep doing press conferences. I will now seek answers in the court... In the court of law and court of people," she said.
Irani also challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to fight the Lok Sabha elections in Amethi in 2024, and said he would once again "bite dust".
"The Gandhi family, on whose direction this press conference was done, I am challenging their chief to send Rahul Gandhi to Amethi again in 2024 to fight against me... We will again make Rahul Gandhi bite dust in Amethi," she said.
Congress on Saturday alleged that a bar purportedly run by Irani's daughter in Goa obtained a bar license illegally.
Congress' General Secretary Communication Jairam Ramesh quoted an RTI reply obtained by Goa based lawyer Aires Rodrigues.
As per reports, the RTI reply showed that excise licence was illegally issued to a bar and restaurant at Assagao in Goa, purportedly linked to Irani’s family, in the name of one Anthony D’Gama in 2021. In June 2022 the licence was renewed in Gama’s name after he passed, as per reports.
An Excise Commissioner issued a show-cause notice to the restaurant on July 21 after receiving a complaint from Rodrigues.
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