Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, currently on his container-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, has ‘clarified‘ his position about industrialists after Rajasthan’s chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot welcomed industrialist Gautam Adani for investments in Rajasthan during the Invest Rajasthan Summit 2022.
Rahul Gandhi gave this clarification on 8th October 2022. It is notable that Rahul Gandhi has been abusing industrialists for the last several years, accusing them of getting benefits at the cost of ordinary people during the Modi government. However, showing open defiance to the party leader, the Rajasthan CM has taken the opposite stand, talking in favour of industries and industrialists.
Praising business tycoon Gautam Adani and welcoming his investments in Rajasthan, CM Ashok Gehlot said, “Gautam Bhai was speaking about Gujarat. Gujaratis have always been very capable, even pre-independence. It had industrialization even before independence. Maharashtra-Gujarat has always been economically well off. I’ll speak about Rajasthan. The state faced drought and famine for centuries. There used to be migration. Gautam Bhai, one should appreciate the courage of Rajasthanis. Your state was in good condition, now we hear Gautam Adani is among the top two richest people in the world.”
A day after Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot came under fire for praising Gautam Adani, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi clarified his stand on it and said he is not against any corporate — his opposition is towards monopolisation.https://t.co/Ep3GbyjS78
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) October 8, 2022
Gehlot lavished these praises on the industrialist after Gautam Adani informed that he had invested over Rs 35,000 crore in the state and an investment of another Rs 50,000 crore is under implementation. Notably, Rahul Gandhi has often led the charge against corporate tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani. Ashok Gehlot complimented Gautam Adani at the Rajasthan Investment Summit on Friday, addressing him as Adani Bhai. He also complimented him on moving up to the second-place spot in the world’s wealth rankings.
Ashok Gehlot also said that big industrialists and their industries bring investment and employment, a fact Rahul Gandhi refuses to accept. The Rajasthan CM said, “Be it Adani, Ambani or Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah, we will welcome all. We want employment and investment”.
Be it Adani, Ambani or Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah, we will welcome all. We want employment and investment: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 8, 2022
The Bharatiya Janata Party referred to Gehlot’s praise for Adani as a “tight slap” on Rahul Gandhi in light of his apparent disagreement with the high command during the Rajasthan revolt. Rajendra Rathore, deputy leader of the opposition said, “Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party which constantly curses the central government in the name of Adani is now being kind to him. The head of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot is providing valuable land to Adani group on concessional rates.”
While clarifying this in the press conference held during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul Gandhi said, “Mr. Adani has committed ₹60,000 crores to Rajasthan. No chief minister can refuse such an offer. In fact, it would not be correct for a chief minister to refuse such an offer.” When reporters were asking him a question about the contradiction between his statements against Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani in the past, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stopped the reporters and told them to ask only about Bharat Jodo Yatra. But Rahul Gandhi interrupted and said that he will answer this question and clarify.
Mr Adani gave a proposal of Rs 60,000 crores to Rajasthan, no CM would refuse such a proposal. Rajasthan CM didn’t give any preferential treatment to Adani or use his political power to help his (Gautam Adani’s) business: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/COkny4xN4P
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2022
Rahul Gandhi said, “My contention is in the use of political power to help certain chosen businesses. My opposition is to 2 or 3 or 4 large businesses being helped politically to monopolize every single business in this country. That is where my opposition is. I am in no way against the corporates, and businesses, but against the complete monopolization of businesses as that weakens the country. And today what we are seeing is a complete monopolization of all businesses. And that’s my problem.”
I oppose the fact that BJP govt has made 2-3 people the monopolist in every business in India, I am against this concentration of capital, I am not against business or co-operates: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/sPp3tpBhQt
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2022
Rahul Gandhi added, “Rajasthan CM didn’t give any preferential treatment to Adani or use his political power to help his (Gautam Adani’s) business. The day they do that, I will stand in the opposition.”
‘The country is being run by crony capitalists’: Rahul Gandhi’s persistent tirade against Ambanis and Adanis
Rahul Gandhi frequently points the finger at Adani-Ambani in his talks, claiming that they jointly control the nation. Prior to the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, the former president of the Congress charged that Prime Minister Modi had supported his “two buddies,” Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani.
Rahul Gandhi insulted a female NDTV employee last month during his encounter with the media in Ernakulam, Kerala, as part of his current Bharat Jodo Yatra, continuing his rant against the leading businessman, because the contentious media outlet is being acquired by the Adani group.
Rahul Gandhi had said that only 2-3-4 big industrialists can do anything they want, like running ports and airports, working on agriculture, building silos, and other people don’t get any help from banks and the government.
Last year in December too, while addressing the gathering during a rally organized by Congress in Jaipur, Rahul Gandhi had said, “Airports, coal mines, supermarkets, wherever you see, only two people are visible. Adani Ji and Ambani Ji.” Interestingly, as reports emerged that the Rajasthan government had given land to Adani Group for the solar plant, Rahul Gandhi’s speeches against Adani started making rounds on social media platforms.
While the Rajasthan-led Congress government has invited Gautam Adani to the investment summit, Rahul Gandhi attacked the Adani group Chairman only last month, asking, “Who gives him money to develop businesses?”
कल मैं एक महिला से मिला, उनके किसान पति ने ₹50,000 के कर्ज़ के कारण आत्महत्या कर ली।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 7, 2022
एक भारत: पूंजीपति मित्रों को 6% ब्याज पर कर्ज़ और करोड़ों की कर्ज़माफ़ी
दूसरा भारत: अन्नदाताओं को 24% ब्याज पर कर्ज़ और कष्टों से भरी ज़िंदगी
एक देश में ये ‘दो भारत’, हम स्वीकार नहीं करेंगे।
In the next five to seven years, the head of the Adani Group proposes to invest $65,000 crore in the state by building a 10,000 MW solar power facility, expanding a cement plant, and revamping the Jaipur International Airport. Rahul Gandhi did not hesitate to tweet against Adani on Friday when the businessman was making these announcements. Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “Yesterday, I met a woman. Her farmer husband died of suicide as he had a debt of ₹50,000. One Bharat: Loan to capitalist friends at 6% interest and loan waiver of crores. Second India: A life full of debt and hardships at 24% interest to Annadata. ‘Two Indias’ in one country, we will not accept it.”
