Union Minister Smriti Irani and Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
Launching a fresh attack against Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former president Sonia Gandhi, Union Minister Smriti Irani accused the Congress party of “sabotaging tax payer’s money.”
Addressing a press briefing in New Delhi, the BJP leader blamed the Congress for the mounting bad loans in the country. “UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi led a government that attacked the very core of the Indian banking system. Raghuram Rajan said that between 2006-08, the UPA functioning led to increased NPAs in India’s banking structure. The bad loans increased in the country due to Congress’ misgovernance. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra and Sonia Gandhi wanted to sabotage the taxpayer’s money,” she said.
Rajan, the former RBI chief, Monday said a larger number of bad loans were originated in the period 2006-2008 when economic growth was strong, and previous infrastructure projects such as power plants had been completed on time and within budget. He had also blamed the over-optimistic bankers, a slowdown in government decision-making process as the reasons behind the mounting bad loans in the country.
The Parliament’s Committee on Estimates had invited Rajan to brief it on the matter after former Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian praised him for identifying the NPA crisis and trying to resolve it.
National Herald Case
Referring to the National Herald Case, Irani questioned the Congress chief on misappropriating funds through Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YIL). The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the Gandhis pleas against the Income Tax department’s decision to re-open their tax assessments for the financial year 2011-2012 in connection with the case.
“Yesterday Delhi High Court and Raghuram Rajan presented another example of the corruption saga of Congress leaders mainly, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra,” Irani said. “I have questions not for a political organisation, but for Rahul Gandhi… The company is owned by Rahul Gandhi and not the Congress. Why would Rahul Gandhi, who in his statement has said he is not interested in profit and loss, buy a commercial company with commercial interests?” she added.
Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said, “Rahul Gandhi doesn’t mind hugging Prime Minister Modi. But he keeps running away from CBI officials. He says he is a champion of freedom of speech and has still not allowed media to cover the National Herald Case.”