Karnataka govt 'bribed' Gandhi family through National Herald: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi

That means it is, in a way bribe to the Nakli Gandhi family, the minister said.In reaction, Shivakumar said any government can give advertisements to any media that they feel is doing the job.We have seen so many other states giving advertisements to Kannada papers.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday alleged that the Congress government ''bribed'' the Nehru-Gandhi family by funnelling taxpayer money to the National Herald newspaper through government advertisements.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar found nothing wrong in the state government's decision to give advertisements to the National Herald newspaper.

''The Congress government in Karnataka has given more advertisement revenue to the National Herald newspaper than any established newspapers or periodicals in the country. That itself is a scam,'' the minister told reporters here.

He said, ''The so-called owners of this newspaper, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, are out on bail in connection with this scam. In spite of that Congress government in Karnataka has paid Rs 2 crore in a year once (in 2023-24) and gave Rs 1 crore in another year in 2024-25. We don't know how much they gave this year.'' He claimed that the money has been paid to people on bail.

''That means scam-ridden people who are on bail, for them, they (Karnataka government) are paying so much. That means it is, in a way bribe to the 'Nakli Gandhi family','' the minister said.

In reaction, Shivakumar said any government can give advertisements to any media that they feel is doing the job.

''We have seen so many other states giving advertisements to Kannada papers. Can we question that? Can I show that Uttarakhand, Punjab, and so many other states are giving advertisements to Kannada papers and English papers? Nationally, they are giving – outside the states also. It is their right. The government can give. There is nothing wrong with it. Let them (BJP) say anything,'' he told reporters here.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)