Bengaluru: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday said that the Congress Government in Karnataka had “bribed” the Nehru-Gandhi family by funnelling public money to the ‘National Herald’ newspaper through Government advertisements.

“It has given more advertisement revenue to the ‘National Herald’ newspaper than to any established newspaper or periodical in the country. That itself is a scam. It reflects the intellectual bankruptcy of the Government and CM Siddaramaiah,” Joshi told reporters.

He further claimed that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, whom he referred to as the “so-called owners” of the newspaper, were out on bail in connection with the case linked to ‘National Herald.’

Joshi alleged that public money had been paid to individuals who are out on bail. “That means people facing scams and out on bail are being paid so much. In a way, it amounts to a bribe to the ‘Nakli Gandhi family’,” he alleged.