'Why was Robert Vadra seen with Adani?' Smriti Irani questions Congress

Even as Congress continues with its high-decibel campaign over the Adani issue, the ruling BJP has mounted a counter-attack over a photo of Gautam Adani with Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

"If he (Gandhi) has a problem with Adani, why is Robert Vadra seen with Adani holding hands?" India Today quoted Union Minister Smriti Irani as asking at a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday. Irani was referring to a 2009 picture in which Adani and Vadra are seen together.

Congress and other opposition parties have been targeting BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Adani issue after a US-based short-seller made allegations against the Adani Group of fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation.

Gandhi has particularly been critical of PM Modi, repeatedly asking how Adani's fortunes rose after BJP came to power in 2014. He says that "there should be a case study on Adani by business schools such as Harvard on how the relationship between business and politics works."

To prove his point, Gandhi came up with pictures of PM Modi with Adani as he questioned the government on its links with the business magnet. He even created a massive ruckus in the Lok Sabha by displaying the pictures in the House last week.

Gandhi has been brazenly vociferous over the issue though the allegation does not seem to be based on facts as the real rise of Adani began during the successive Congress governments before Modi took over.

BJP has now paid Gandhi back in the same coin by releasing pictures of his brother-in-law and Congress leader Robert Vadra with Adani. Vadra is also allegedly involved in a slew of corruption and land-grabbing cases. It is to be seen how Congress responds to this counter-attack.