New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he was hand in glove with Gautam Adani in corruption. He also demanded the arrest of the industrialist after he was indicted in a bribery case in the United States.
While addressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi said Adani was being protected by PM Modi and running scot-free despite being involved in a Rs 2,000 crore scam and several other graft cases.
“It is now pretty clear and established that Adani has broken both Indian law and American law. I am wondering why Adani is running around as a free man in this country. It is a vindication of what we have been saying. The PM is protecting Adani and the PM is involved in corruption with Adani,” Gandhi said.
Earlier, US prosecutors indicted Adani, who is the chairperson of Adani Group, and his nephew for allegedly paying Rs 2,029 crore in bribes to Indian government officials for securing solar power contracts with state electricity distribution companies. It had been alleged that the bribes were allegedly paid between 2020 and 2024.
The Congress has been alleging a nexus between PM Modi and Adani at several election rallies.
‘Will raise the issue in Parliament’
Gandhi said he would raise the issue in the upcoming winter session of Parliament. He also reiterated his demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the transactions of the Adani Group.
“It is my responsibility as LoP, to raise this issue. This man has acquired India’s assets through corruption. He provides support to the BJP, it is established. JPC is our demand, but we want Adani to be arrested,” Gandhi said, as quoted by India Today.
US indictment mentioned that bribes were paid to officials of four states and one Union Territory—Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Jammu and Kashmir.
BJP hits back
Addressing a presser, BJP leader Sambit Patra said the Congress has been trying to tarnish the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2002. “The Prime Minister received the highest civilian award in a foreign country on a day the opposition party was attacking him,” he said.
Patra noted that none of the four states mentioned in US charges against Adani Group had a BJP CM.
“The conglomerate invested Rs 25k crore and Rs 65k crore in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan when Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot were at the helm there respectively. It invested Rs 45k crore in the DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu and had recently given Rs 100 crore donation to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for a skill development foundation,” he added.
Why are the Congress governments seeking investment from the company if Adani is “corrupt”? he asked.
He added that as far as allegations against the Adani group are concerned it is for the company to issue a clarification and defend itself. “Today, since morning, we have been seeing in the media an issue regarding a company. There is a case against that company in the US. There are allegations and counter-allegations. We clearly believe that as far as the company and the case against it are concerned, the company will issue a statement and defend itself on its own. Law will take its own course.”
