The Congress party’s Kerala unit has engaged in a heated exchange with Bollywood actor Preity Zinta over allegations that she had an Rs 18-crore loan written off in exchange for giving control of her social media accounts to the BJP. The party has now asked her to provide proof that she repaid the loan, further escalating the controversy.
Congress Raises Allegations
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Congress unit of Kerala referred to reports suggesting that Preity Zinta, along with others, had loans written off by the New India Co-operative Bank, whose board was dissolved by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on February 15 due to financial irregularities. The party claimed that depositors were suffering losses and took aim at the alleged connection between Zinta’s financial dealings and political affiliations.
Preity Zinta Dismisses Allegations
Responding swiftly, Preity Zinta took to X to call the claims “vile gossip” and “clickbait,” asserting that she had fully repaid her loan a decade ago. However, the Congress unit demanded evidence of this repayment, maintaining its stance on supporting affected depositors.
The party also referenced media reports suggesting that former employees of the bank had warned the RBI in 2020 about corrupt practices, which allegedly included transactions linked to Preity Zinta.
Zinta Targets Journalist Sucheta Dalal
The controversy took another turn when Zinta publicly criticized Moneylife founder Sucheta Dalal for allegedly spreading misinformation. Expressing frustration over what she sees as a lack of journalistic accountability, Zinta stated, “So much misinformation going around but thank god for social media and thank god for X!”
She further accused journalists of publishing misleading stories without verifying facts and vowed to start holding them accountable. Specifically addressing Dalal, she wrote, “If you don’t value my reputation then sorry I don’t value yours.”
Ongoing Political and Social Media Fallout
The exchange has drawn significant public attention, with Congress doubling down on its demand for transparency while Zinta continues to defend her reputation. The incident also underscores the growing tension between celebrities, political entities, and the media in India, where financial and political controversies frequently intersect.
Sources By Agencies
