Rahul Gandhi questions surge in Adani’s fortunes under PM Modi in LS; Govt hits back

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a blazing attack at the government, questioning PM Modi's link to billionaire Gautam Adani.

New Delhi, Feb 07: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday used the occasion of parliamentary debate on President's address to launch a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and billionaire Gautam Adani.

Adani Group is in the spotlight after the US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research report accused the group of brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud.

Rahul accused the Prime Minister of helping Adani's business empire across sectors. The Congress leader, who recently completed a 3,500-k alleged that the meteoric rise in Gautam Adani's fortunes happened after the BJP came to power in 201 and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi deserves a gold medal for this. He even accused the government of changing its foreign policy to benefit the billionaire.

"From Tamil Nadu, Kerala to Himachal Pradesh, we have been listening one name everywhere 'Adani'. Across the entire country, it's just 'Adani', 'Adani', 'Adani'...Adani ji never fails in any business he ventures into - solar energy, wind energy. During my yatra people asked me how Adani attained such success in so many sectors, what is his relationship with the Prime Minister," Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi said in a series of allegations which union minister Kiren Rijiju repeatedly challenged demanding authentication on the floor of the House, and treasury benches dismissed as a bunch of lies.

"Do not level wild allegations, give proof," Law Minister Kiren Rijiju hit back at the Congress leader.

"You are now a senior MP. You should speak with responsibility. We expect you to be serious in parliament. You can say whatever you want outside," Rijiju said.

BJP countered Rahul's charges calling them wild and reckless

Outside Parliament, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad accused Rahul Gandhi of making baseless, shameless and reckless allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and charged that the Congress and the Gandhi family were involved in ''big scams'' which ''tarnished'' the image of the country.

''Deal and commission'' have been part of the Congress' working culture and the party has been in distress as the Modi government eliminated these corrupt practices, the former law minister told reporters soon after Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the prime minister over the Adani issue.

Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Lok Sabh, Gandhi linked the massive rise in the business fortunes and personal wealth of businessman Gautam Adani to the Modi government coming to power in 2014.

''Rahul Gandhi made baseless, shameless and reckless allegations against PM Modi,'' Prasad told reporters outside Parliament.

Voters will teach him a lesson in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as they did in 2019 after Rahul Gandhi, the then Congress president, had accused Modi of corruption in the Rafale aircraft deal.

In fact, it is the Congress and its leaders who were involved in all those big scams which tarnished the image of India, he added, citing the corruption cases related to the Bofors deal and the Adarsh society.

Prasad also referred to the National Herald case and the AgustaWestland scam case to attack the Gandhi family. ''It's time to revive the memory of Rahul Gandhi on corruption.'' Citing the National Herald case, in which Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are accused, Prasad said both are on bail and also raked up the allegations against his brother-in-law Robert Vadra. The Congress party is based on the twin pillars of corruption and protecting the corrupt, he said. ''Corruption and giving protection to the corrupt have been the history of Rahul Gandhi and his family.'' Modi has been running an honest government which has made the laws against fugitive persons and corrupt practices like benami transactions more stringent, the BJP leader said, adding that many absconding accused have been extradited to India and similar exercise is on against others.

With Gandhi displaying pictures of Modi with Adani during his speech, Prasad said the photographs of the Congress leader's presence in the events of Nirav Modi and with Mehul Choksi, both fugitives, are also doing the rounds.