Even as Union minister Smriti Irani came out assertively on Saturday claiming that her daughter Zoish Irani has nothing to do with Silly Souls Cafe and Bar, Goa, which has been found operating on a dead man Anthony Dgama’s license; there seems to be half-truth in her assertions.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera alleged that the bar licence in the name of a dead person is just one of the illegal activities. The restaurant has two bar licences, which no restaurant in Goa has, and it has bar licences without having a legal licence to operate as a restaurant.
“Sack Smriti Irani”
“We demand from the prime minister that Smriti Irani should be immediately sacked as a minister from the Union cabinet. You owe it to this country and to the youth of this country,” said Khera and also shared a copy of the show cause notice given to the bar and alleged that the excise official who gave the notice is reportedly being transferred after pressure from authorities. Khera also said that private security has been deployed around the restaurant in Goa, to keep it away from media watch.
The Women and Child Development minister, Irani, began her active political career from Gujarat. She was elected Rajyasabha MP from Gujarat in 2011.
“Alright to run bars, not newspapers?”
The BJP has been attacking the Gandhi family for their alleged role in the National Herald case. On this, Khera said, “What problem do those running bars have with those running newspapers. We are running only a newspaper and you are running illegal bars.”
On the other hand, Irani’s lawyer Kirat Nagra said the allegations are baseless. He asserted that his client is neither an owner nor operating the restaurant called Silly Souls Goa. He also confirmed that he has also not received any show cause notice from any authority as alleged by them.
Smriti Irani considers this an attempt to “publicly mutilate” her daughter’s character. She said, “My daughter’s fault is that her mother held a press conference on the loot of ₹ 5,000 crore by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Her fault is that her mother fought against Rahul Gandhi in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls.”
Irani dared Rahul Gandhi to fight from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat again in 2024, and vowed that she will make him bite the dust again. Irani had defeated the former Congress president in Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
INC member Lavanya Ballal, National President – Indian Youth Congress Srinivas BV, Congress member Gaurav Pandhi, Author and political commentator, Ajit Datta, National General Secretary, NSUI Nagesh Kariyappa, Acting President of Mahila Congress Netta D’Souza, Social Media Convenor Krishan TRS, National Secretary BJP Youth Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, columnist Ankit Jain and several others took to Twitter to share their reactions on this matter.
