How Rahul Gandhi Exposed The Modi Government For Bending Rules To Favour Adani

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India Tomorrow

NEW DELHI—Seemingly buoyed by the success of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government head-on in a bid to draw the nation’s attention to “crony capitalism, Adani deals, unemployment, and farmers’ distress”.

In a fiery speech in the Lok Sabha, Rahul asked how Gautam Adani’s net worth increased from 8 billion US dollars in 2014 to 140 billion US dollars in 2022.

“Earlier they (Adani group) used to do one or two businesses, now they work in 8-10 sectors. Airport, Data Centre, Cement, Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Aero Space & Defence, Consumer Finance, Renewable Energy, Media. There was also talk of the port. During my yatra, I met a person who also asked me, how the net worth of Adani ji increased from 8 billion dollars to 140 billion dollars from 2014 to 2022. In 2014, Adani was at 609 on the world’s richest people list. Don’t know if magic happened, he reached number two,” said Rahul.

Congress leader also flashed a picture of Modi with Adani during his speech. “See this, relationship (photo of Adani and Prime Minister traveling in a private plane). That is a photo Sir, not a poster. There is a photo of the Prime Minister, his very nice face is visible on it. There is Adani ji’s logo behind them. They are entering Adani ji’s airplane,” he said.

Rahul said that he will discuss the relationship between Narendra Modi ji and Adani ji in detail. “The relationship begins many years ago when Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat and when most of India’s businesses were asking questions. One man stood shoulder to shoulder with Modi. He helped Narendra Modi to construct the idea of resurgent Gujarat,” he said.

Rahul said Adani was the backbone of this initiative. The result was tremendous growth of his businesses in Gujarat,

https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1622926671086223360?s=20&t=IQc_w_Y_EJ2J40kmec4RqQ

Rahul said when Modi came to Delhi in 2014, the real magic started. “A few years ago, the government gave the airport for development. There was a rule, that anybody who does not have prior experience in airports, cannot be involved in the development of these airports. The government of India changed this rule. Six airports were given to Adani ji. After that India’s most strategically profitable airport Mumbai airport was taken away from GVK and hijacked by using the agencies. By using CBI, and ED to put pressure on GVK, the Indian government handed over that airport to Adani ji. Now, Adani controls 24 percent of India’s air traffic through his airports. Plus 31 percent of airfreight comes through his airports. Now this work was facilitated by the Government of India and the Prime Minister,” he said.

On defence deals, he said Adani ji had no experience in this sector. “Yesterday I saw the Prime Minister at HAL. HAL’s contract for 126 airplanes went to Anil Ambani and he became bankrupt. There was also facilitation. Now Adani ji has an interest in defence, Adani ji makes drones in India with Elbit. They refit drones for Indian Airforce, Army, and Navy. Adani ji has never done this work before. HAL does this work, and other companies in India do this work. Drones are refitted for India’s Airforce, Army, and Navy. Prime Minister goes to Israel and Immediately after that Adani ji gets this contract,” he said.

Rahul said when Prime Minister visited Australia, the State Bank of India approved a one billion dollar loan to Adani ji.  When Modi ji visited Bangladesh, a decision to sell electricity is taken. A few days later Bangladesh Power Development Board signs a 25-year contract with Adani ji, for 1,500 MW of electricity, he said.

“People asked me, why is the money of this LIC company being used to help Adaniji. They also asked why LIC’s money is being put into Adaniji’s shares. So I have to say that how do the Prime Minister and the Government of India help Adaniji?  LIC’s exposure is Rs. 36,000 crore. Public Sector Banks are giving money to Adaniji. If someone raises a question, ED, CBI, and other agencies hound them. A few days ago, Hindenburg’s report was released. It was written that Adaniji has shell companies outside India. Whose shell companies are in Mauritius?” he said.

On the farmer issue, he said thousands of people talked about Pradhan Mantri Bima Yojana. “The storm comes, the gale comes, the money disappears. The farmers said that our land is being taken away, and we do not get the right rate. Land Acquisition Bill is not applicable. Tribals said what was given to them under the tribal provision is being snatched away. So we got to hear a lot of things. But the main thrust was unemployment, inflation, and farmers,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the Modi-Adani link expunged

However, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla expunged Rahu Gandhi’s remarks about Modi-Adani links. Rahul Gandhi, according to the video of his Lok Sabha speech, had made 18 such remarks but all of them were deleted from the records of the Lok Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi responded by saying that “Prime Minister, you cannot eliminate the voice of democracy. The people of India are asking you questions, give us answers.”

Congress Communications chief Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “With the expunging of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on PM linked Adani MahaMegaScam, deMOcracy was cremated in the Lok Sabha. OM Shanti.”

Ramesh further tweeted, “18 remarks by @RahulGandhi in LS expunged: 1. Every question asked of PM- deleted! 2. All references to relationship between Adani & Modi before 2014- deleted! 3. Misuse of agencies & foreign trips- deleted! You can expunge, but you can’t exterminate! Jagadguru of Jhoot stands exposed.”

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