Quick to hug PM, but runs from tax officer: Smriti Irani's direct attack on Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Sep 11: Union Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday urged Congress President Rahul Gandhi to answer on charges levelled against him in the National Herald case.

"Raghuram Rajan's statement clearly proves that it is Congress who is responsible for increased NPA. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra and Sonia Gandhi wanted to sabotage the taxpayer's money," she said.

"Rahul who had no hitch in hugging PM inside the parliament tells the Court that media should not write about all this," she added.

"The Congress was exposed yesterday. Raghuram Rajan's statement clearly proves that it is Congress who is responsible for increased NPA. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra and Sonia Gandhi wanted to sabotage the taxpayer's money," she said addressing the media.

Seeking Gandhi's reply on the charges levelled against him in the National Herald case, Irani further alleged that Gandhis paid just Rs 50 lakh through which through which not-for-profit organisation Young Indian (YI) obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) owed to the Congress.

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," Irani added.

Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed pleas by Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi against the Income Tax department's decision to re-open their tax assessments for the financial year 2011-2012 in connection with the National Herald newspaper case.

The income tax probe against the Congress leaders stems from an investigation into a complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy before a trial court in connection with the National Herald case.

The complaint accused Sonia, Rahul and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds.