Soon after Gautam Adani- Chairman of the Adani Group announced taking over the management control of Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) from the GVK Group, the ‘Andolanjeevis’ of social media started their outrage against it.
Stretching the boundaries of their imaginations, they started using ‘krantikari’ phrases like ‘sold off’, ‘taken over’ etc.
We are delighted to take over management of the world class Mumbai International Airport. We promise to make Mumbai proud. The Adani Group will build an airport ecosystem of the future for business, leisure and entertainment. We will create thousands of new local jobs.
— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) July 13, 2021
One ‘anti-fascist’ and ‘Gandhi-admirer’ handle mentioned, “With Narendra Modi’s help, Adani group now controls 25% of airports (8 airports ) & 33% of air traffic in India,” while sharing a news clip headline that clearly reads ‘Adani Group takes over management control…’
With narendra modi’s help , Adani group now controls 25% of airports (8 airports ) & 33% of air traffic in India. pic.twitter.com/W5zMnoHc6m
— STAND AGAINST HATRED (@Bharatbachaoab) July 14, 2021
the person perhaps did not read the report carefully or did not process it well. Adani doesn’t fly planes. It has no state in ‘air traffic’. With the addition of Mumbai airport to their list that includes other airports like Ahmedabad, Lucknow, etc, the Adani Group is now expected to handle 25% of India’s total passenger footfall and 33% of air cargo operation.
Taking this as an opportunity, there were more who joined the bandwagon to opposed the BJP and PM Modi for no rhyme or reason. A barrage of Tweets flooded the microblogging platform with attacks from anti-BJP handles who think the airport has been “sold” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Adani Group.
A user quoting Adani’s Tweet claimed, “Mumbai International Airport” sold to Adani.”
One more airport sold out to this 💕 day.
— Chetan Krishna👑 🇮🇳 (@ckchetanck) July 13, 2021
“Mumbai International Airport” sold to Adani. https://t.co/TFw3TmRty6
To further its farce propaganda, Congress leaders too supported their social media army to lament against the acquisition. Amitabh Dubey- president of Delhi All India Professionals Congress labeled this move as ‘crony capitalism’.
He did not explain why the airport management so far by GVK Group was not crony capitalism and why Adani managing airport is crony capitalism.
Textbook case of crony capitalism:
— Amitabh Dubey (@dubeyamitabh) July 13, 2021
🔸Mar 2019: GVK contests Adani’s 13.5% Mumbai investment
🔸Oct 2019: GVK raises funds to retain its stake
🔸Jul 2020: CBI and ED file FIRs, raid GVK offices
🔸Aug 2020: GVK sells Mumbai airport to Adani
🔸 Cases 💨
Thank you Modiji 🙏🏽 https://t.co/L4wOJ6zsHG
Singing the tunes of the Andolanjeevis, another Congress leader Shama Anjum claimed that while India’s GDP declined, the wealth of Adani-Ambani doubled. Taking a rather unfunny jibe at the Prime Minister, Anjum claimed that the country has been put up for sale.
GDP of India went down but wealth of Ambani-Adani doubled👏…
— Shama Anjum INC🇮🇳 (@ShamaAnjumak) July 13, 2021
India on sale under the able leadership of Modiji Thank you Modiji 🙏 https://t.co/gKZDDRs9P9
However, it is imperative to note that the GVK group exited the airport sector agreeing to sell its 50.5 per cent stake in MIAL to the Adani Group after facing pressure from lenders. The acquisition was completed following approvals from both- the Union government as well as the government of Maharashtra, and Maharashtra’s City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).
Andolanjeevis cry foul over Adani/ Ambani once again
Seeing this as an opportunity, the Andolanjeevis furthered the Adani/ Ambani rant. A farmer supporter in an enlightening Tweet informed, “When Farmers won’t grow the crops, India will start importing food from other countries and Adani/Ambani will sell at much higher prices. Not only Farmers, the whole India will face the consequences of anti-agricultural laws. THANK Modi.”
We don’t know about India’s GDP, the but IQ level of that tweet definitely seems to be in the bottom or subterranean category.
When Farmers won’t grow the crops, India will start importing food from other countries and Adani/Ambani will sell at much higher prices.
— Jassu 🇨🇦 🌾 ਗਰਮ ਖਿਆਲੀ (@Its_RoyalJass) July 14, 2021
Not only Farmers, the whole India will face the consequences of anti-agricultural laws. THANK Modi .@PMOIndia #MSP_चाहिए_काले_कानून_नहीं pic.twitter.com/KI6pm9GP9W
Another Andolanjeevi claimed that the 3 Farm Bills are for the Centre to give an upper hand to Adani and Ambani by letting them decide the crop price. “3 pro-corporates laws will be upper hand for the private companies(Adani/Ambani) to negotiate the crops price. So that the greedy indian government wants to remove “Mandi system” by imposing these laws forcefully on Farmers,” the Tweet read.
3 pro-corporates laws will be upper hand for the private companies(Adani/Ambani) to negotiate the crops price. So that the greedy indian government wants to remove “Mandi system” by imposing these laws forcefully on Farmers.@PMOIndia #MSP_चाहिए_काले_कानून_नहीं #FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/9kNrT6krPh
— AndolanjeeviKractivist #BJPKilledStanSwamy (@Kractivist) July 14, 2021
Another user claimed that while the nation ‘worships’ the efforts of farmers, PM Modi worships Andani-Ambani.
India worship efforts of farmers
— V.S Rathore (@VikramadityaSR1) July 13, 2021
Modi worship Ambani – Adani #FarmersProtest_AtParliament#FarmersProtest
Wanting to oppose Andani-Ambani, another user with utmost sincerity ended up supporting the farm laws by advising people to buy produce directly from local farmers.
Please don’t buy any ambani Adani and other branded products, buy local from farmers,hurt them financially
— Harvinder (@Harvind77343875) July 13, 2021
Meanwhile, the Centre has offered to re-initiate discussions with the farmer leaders but the unions are adamant on the ‘repeal or nothing’ condition.