Rahul Gandhi continues to attack PM over Adani issue

Shillong: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday continued his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his relationship with the Adani group, claiming that whenever the PM goes abroad, the conglomerate gets a “gift”.

Addressing an election rally here, Gandhi asserted that the group has access to every single business because its head Gautam Adani is close to the prime minister.

Claiming that television channels and newspapers did not properly cover his speech in Lok Sabha on this subject, he alleged that the media is in the hands of the powerful and close aides of the prime minister.

“Whenever the PM goes abroad, Mr Adani gets a gift. PM goes to Bangladesh, Mr Adani gets a gift. PM goes to Australia, Mr Adani gets a gift. PM goes to Sri Lanka, Mr Adani gets a gift. PM goes to Sri Lanka, Mr Adani gets a gift,” Gandhi said, referring to contracts bagged by the ports-to-energy conglomerate in those countries.

One businessman became the second richest man in the world from the 609th in a matter of years, the Congress leader said without naming Adani.

“He (Adani) owns ports, airports; he does constructions; he works for the defence sector; he dominates the apple trade in Himachal Pradesh,” Gandhi said.

The former Congress president claimed that the scale of corruption at the Centre is probably “never ever seen” in Indian history.

Gandhi said he had asked the PM to disclose his relationship with Adani in a Lok Sabha speech earlier this month, but got no reply.

“My speech was nowhere to be seen. It was not visible in the media, not heard about in newspapers and not seen in channels. The reason is the media of this country is completely controlled by two or three large industrialists who have a good relationship with the PM,” he said.

On Monday also, Gandhi alleged that the billionaire industrialist benefited from the central government’s “magic” and asserted that he was not against businesses but the creation of monopolies.

Gandhi and the Congress party have been attacking the prime minister and the government over the growth of the Adani group during the BJP rule and have claimed that this is happening due to the businessman’s proximity to the party and its leadership.

The BJP had slammed the allegations as baseless and reminded the opposition party that there were big scams when the Congress-led UPA was in power that tarnished the image of the country.

Stating that he had come to learn about the lack of unemployment across the country during his recent 4000 km Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress leader said he came to know how the common people are in pain because of rising prices of petrol, diesel, gas cylinders and food products.

The Congress party is committed to fight against issues concerning Indians – price rise, control of the country’s wealth in the hands of one or two persons, unemployment and the “hatred that the BJP is spreading”, Gandhi said.