TOI News Desk
NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his attack on the central government after US prosecutors charged industrialist Gautam Adani with bribery and fraud and said that it is his tactic to attack India and structures that defend the country as he did in the Rafale issue.
While addressing a presser, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the Congress leader mentioned that they are doing the work of judiciary while talking about the charges against Adani and added, “where the mother-son duo (Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi) is out on bail they are doing the work of judiciary! Half of them are out on bail and they are doing the work of judiciary!”
“Today, once again Rahul Gandhi held a press conference. Once again, he showed the same behaviour and has put things in the same way that he has been doing. There was nothing new in the PC. He has a few names, ways using which he does PC and tries to level allegations against BJP, PM Modi,” Patra said in a presser.
“I remember that Rahul Gandhi had appeared with the Rafale issue in 2019 in a similar fashion. He had claimed that a big revelation will be made. During the Covid pandemic, he used to do press conference in similar fashion over vaccine. However, he had to apologise before the Supreme Court later,” he added.
This remarks came after Gandhi addressed the US prosecutors’ allegations that Adani and associates paid $250 million in bribes to Indian officials. He emphasised that the businessman had violated both Indian and American laws.
‘Prime minister is involved in corruption with Adani,’ says Rahul
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra poll rhetoric of ‘ek hain, safe hain,’ the leader of opposition said that PM Modi lacked the “ability to arrest Adani” as the whole “BJP structure was funded by Adani.”
“In India, if Narendra Modi and Adani are together then they are safe. Nothing can be done to Adani in India. Here the chief minister is sent to jail and Adani is roaming free after committing a scam of Rs 2,000 crore. Because Narendra Modi is protecting them,” he said.
“We have been raising this again and again… we have raising it with the Madhabi Buch issue, and it is a vindication of what we have been saying. The prime minister is protecting Adani and the prime minister is involved in corruption with Adani. This is being clearly indicated,”
Meanwhile, in the press conference today, Patra over the US charges said, ” “Today, since morning, we have been seeing in the media an issue regarding a company. There is a case against that company in the US. There are allegations and counter-allegations. We clearly believe that as far as the company and the case against it are concerned, the company will issue a statement and defend itself on its own. Law will take its own course.”
‘Your mother, Congress and you have been attempting to diminishing PM Modi’s credibility since 2002’
He also stated that the entire matter is about agreements on power purchase and agreements on state distribution companies (SDCs). The distribution of electricity between US and India, there are two companies – one an Indian and a US company.
“Four Indian states’ names appear before US Court…This matter dates between July 2021 to February 2022. At that time, Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government was in power in Chhattisgarh…In Andhra Pradesh, it was YSRCP government at that time. In Tamil Nadu, it was DMK government – of your ally Stalin. In Odisha, it was BJD government. So, all 4 states that have been named in the document neither had our chief ministers nor a government supported by us. They all had Governments of Congress and its allies. Rahul Gandhi said that he has no objection if any of his former ministers or leaders are questioned…Rahul Gandhi, this is not your first attempt to diminish the credibility of PM Modi. Your mother, party and you have been attempting this since 2002…” He added.
He also recalled the time when Gautam Adani donated Rs 100 crore for the Young India Skills University to Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy and said that if Adani Group chairman was corrupt then why he took the donation.
BJP’s Amit Malviya questions timing of report of Adani charges, says Congress willing to be a prop of George Soros
BJP leader Amit Malviya said on Thursday pointed out that all states mentioned in the alleged bribery scandsl where those ruled by the opposition.
He also said that the timing of the report, just before the Parliament session and Donald Trump’s “Impending” Presidency raises several questions.
“But be as it may, the essence of the charge is that US and Indian companies agreed to supply 12 GW of power to the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). This was subject to SECI entering into PPA with State electricity distribution companies (SDCs). There was a collaboration between Adani Green Energy with a US renewable energy, Azure Power, under which Azure was allotted 4 GW and Adani Green Energy 8 MW,” Malviya said on X.
“Therefore, the Adanis (in collusion with Azure Power; a US firm) paid the equivalent of US $265 million to SDCs based in Odisha (BJD ruled), Tamilnadu (DMK), Chattisgarh (Congress) and Andhra Pradesh (YSRCP) between Jul 21 and Feb 22 (by far the largest to AP),” he added.
He further stated that all the States mentioned in the charges were ruled by Opposition at that time.
The BJP leader also mentioned that an Indian Court can similarly, on legitimate grounds, accuse American firms of bribing US government officials, to deny access to Indian markets.
“Should we then allow the law to take its course and the concerned corporate to defend or plant ourselves in the domestic politics of a foreign country? Don’t get needlessly excited. The timing of the report, just before the Parliament session and Donald Trump’s impending Presidency raises several questions. That the Congress is willing to be a prop in the hands of George Soros and his cabal speaks volumes,” Malviya said on X.