On 7th February 2023, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi delivered a speech in the Lok Sabha. During his address, the Wayanad MP took up the Adani controversy in the parliament. Rahul Gandhi went on to relentlessly make ridiculous statements during his address.
Rahul Gandhi said, “From Tamil Nadu, Kerala to Himachal Pradesh we have been listening to one name everywhere ‘Adani’. Across the entire country, it’s just ‘Adani’, ‘Adani’, and ‘Adani’.”
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’…people used to ask me that Adani enters any business and never fails: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in LS pic.twitter.com/5LV5nRNM8V
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
He further said, “People used to ask me if Adani enters any business and never fails. The youth asked us, Adani is now in 8-10 sectors & that how his net worth reached $140 billion from $8 billion from 2014 to 2022.”
Youth asked us that Adani is now in 8-10 sectors & that how his net worth reached $140 billion from $8 billion from 2014 to 2022: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in LS pic.twitter.com/fUlND3FuIk
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
Taking his imagination to a next level, Rahul Gandhi added, “Only Adani is being talked about from apples of Kashmir, Himachal to ports, airports, and even the roads we are walking on.”
Only Adani is being talked about from apples of Kashmir, Himachal to ports, airports and even the roads we are walking on: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in LS pic.twitter.com/C0HP1QHdNH
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
Rahul Gandhi then tried to establish a relationship between the businessman and PM Narendra Modi. He said, “Relationships begins many years ago when Narendra Modi was Gujarat’s CM. One man stood shoulder to shoulder with PM Modi, he was loyal to the PM and helped Mr Modi to construct the idea of a Resurgent Gujarat. Real magic began when PM Modi reached Delhi in 2014.”
Relationships begins many years ago when Narendra Modi was Gujarat CM…one man stood shoulder to shoulder with PM Modi, he was loyal to PM and helped Mr Modi to construct idea of a Resurgent Gujarat. Real magic began when PM Modi reached Delhi in 2014: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/zYOBfO3O1s
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
Taking a jibe at Adani getting contracts to operate airports, Rahul Gandhi said, “There’s a rule who doesn’t have prior experience in airports can’t be involved in the development of airports. This rule was changed by the Government of India. This rule was changed & Adani was given six airports. After that India’s most profitable airport ‘Mumbai Airpot’ was hijacked from GVK using agencies like CBI, and ED & was given to Adani by Govt of India.”
This rule was changed & Adani was given six airports. After that India’s most profitable airport ‘Mumbai Airpot’ was hijacked from GVK using agencies like CBI, ED & was given to Adani by Govt of India: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/mcSz4VPjfX
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
However, BJP MP Dr Nishikant Dubey replied in the Lok Sabha saying that the rules regarding the infrastructure companies GMR and GVK were changed by the UPA government led by former PM Dr Manmohan Singh.
Another fact-check of one of the lie spoken by Rahul Gandhi in parliament today. pic.twitter.com/IBQaSbL6nQ
— Political Kida (@PoliticalKida) February 7, 2023
After this, the Congress leader commented on the undertakings of the Adani group in various sectors. He said, “Now, Adani has zero experience in the defence sector. Yesterday PM said at HAL that we hurled the wrong allegations. But in reality, HAL’s contract of 126 aircraft went to Anil Ambani.” Rahul Gandhi was referring to the allegations of wrongdoing in the Rafale deal despite the apex court of the country expressly stating that it did not find malpractices in the said deal.
Now, Adani has zero experience in the defence sector. Yesterday PM said at HAL that we hurled the wrong allegations. But in reality, HAL’s contract of 126 aircraft went to Anil Ambani: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/Tfo1HXHhG3
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
Rahul Gandhi seems to have drawn no lessons from the Rafale deal fiasco when he and his ecosystem tried very hard to project PM Modi as corrupt but ended up humiliating themselves when the Supreme Court said there was wrongdoing in the deal.
He added, “Adani never made drones but HAL and other companies in India do that. Despite that PM, Modi goes to Israel and Adani gets the contract.”
Adani never made drones but HAL, other companies in India do that. Despite that PM Modi goes to Israel and Adani gets the contract: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/iJg0RFjRYe
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
Rahul Gandhi also tried to establish a correlation between PM Modi’s tours and various contracts secured by the Adani group. He said, “PM Modi goes to Australia and by magic, SBI gives a $1 billion loan to Adani. Then he goes to Bangladesh & then the Bangladesh Power development board signs a 25-yrs contract with Adani.”
PM Modi goes to Australia and by magic, SBI gives $1 billion loan to Adani. Then he goes to Bangladesh & then the Bangladesh Power development board signs a 25-yrs contract with Adani: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/07sQuPQiCB
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
What Rahul Gandhi has insinuated is that Adani has not won any contract due to his competitiveness, effective pricing, or any other business factor, but PM Modi has helped him in landing projects. Of course, the Gandhi scion has no proof to back the claim and relies on rhetoric to further his allegations—to paint PM Modi with the same brush as that of Congress—corruption.
Intriguingly, the Wayanad MP did not mention when Adani visited the Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, his company got contracts worth Rs 60,000 crores and Rs 1000 crores respectively in those states. Contradictorily, Rahul Gandhi had at that time defended the Rajasthan government’s decision.
This is where whole Congress outrage over Adani looks useless pic.twitter.com/t1SWj8DWOk
— Political Kida (@PoliticalKida) February 7, 2023
Rahul Gandhi also made a serious allegation about India’s foreign policy by saying that it is designed in a way that suits to benefit the Adani group. He said, “In 2022, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka electricity board informed the parliamentary committee in Sri Lanka that he was told by Sri Lanka’s President Rajapaksa that he was pressured by PM Modi to give a wind power project to Mr Adani. This isn’t India’s foreign policy, it’s the policy for Adani’s business.”
In 2022,Chairman of Sri Lanka electricity board informed parliamentary committee in Sri Lanka that he was told by Pres Rajpaksa that he was pressured by PM Modi to give wind power project to Mr Adani. This isn’t India’s foreign policy,it’s policy for Adani’s business:Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/V4lR4jjb3h
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
After this, he asked questions about the electoral bonds and money allegedly given by Gautam Adani to the Bharatiya Janata Party. He said, “Earlier PM Modi used to travel in Adani’s aircraft now Adani travels in Modiji’s aircraft. This matter was earlier of Gujarat, then became of India, and now has become international. How much money did Adani give to BJP in the last 20 yrs & through electoral bonds?”
Earlier PM Modi used to travel in Adani’s aircraft now Adani travels in Modiji’s aircraft. This matter was earlier of Gujarat, then became of India and now has become international. How much money did Adani give to BJP in last 20 yrs & through electoral bonds?: Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/iXCHKxGiit
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
Rahul Gandhi then flagged some posters of photographs of Gautam Adani with BJP leaders. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, at this time, instructed him not to do so. Om Birla said, “No posters please, if you will show posters then this side (BJP) will show posters of Rajasthan’s CM (with Gautam Adani). Showing posters isn’t appropriate.”
#WATCH | No posters please, if you will show posters then this side (BJP) will show poster of Rajasthan’s CM (with Gautam Adani). Showing posters isn’t appropriate: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/HHZIlymApr
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
Refuting Rahul Gandhi’s allegations, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “We condemn the baseless allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi against our govt while speaking in Parliament today. I need to remind him-he, his mother & his brother-in-law are on bail. I want to ask him what are National Herald & AgustaWestland scandals?”
It is notable that Adani Group stocks have suffered sharp losses due to allegations of fraud from Hindenburg Research. The investment firm had accused the Adani Group of accounting fraud and stock manipulation, triggering stock prices of its companies to hit lower circuits. The Group has, however, denied the allegations and accused Hindenburg Research of spreading malicious disinformation.We condemn the baseless allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi against our govt while speaking in Parliament today. I need to remind him-he, his mother & his brother-in law are on bail. I want to ask him what are National Herald & AgustaWestland scandals?: BJP leader RS Prasad pic.twitter.com/Nu19xiLV5O
— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023
