Gautam Adani US Indictment: BJP's Amit Malviya Slams Congress, Says 'Bribes Paid In Oppn Ruled States...'

The bribes allegedly were paid to govt officials in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh between July 2021 and February 2022, Malviya noted, citing the US indictment.

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The BJP launched a sharp counterattack against the Congress Thursday after US prosecutors charged industrialist Gautam Adani and others with bribery and fraud, pointing out that the states named in the indictment were governed by opposition parties at the time of the alleged offenses.

BJP Questions Opposition's Role

The BJP IT cell head, Amit Malviya, took to X (formerly Twitter) to ask why the indictment has come now when, as he alleged, it coincides with the start of the Parliament session and former U.S. President Donald Trump's return to the limelight.

"This raises several questions," Malviya said while accusing Congress of being "a prop in the hands of George Soros and his cabal." He was responding to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh who earlier claimed the indictment vindicated Congress's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into alleged "Modani scams".

Opposition-Ruled States Implicated

The bribes allegedly were paid to government officials in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh between July 2021 and February 2022, Malviya noted, citing the US indictment.

"All these states were ruled by the opposition then," said Malviya. Odisha and Andhra Pradesh were ruled by regional parties, BJD and YSR Congress which are not affiliated with BJP or Congress. Tamil Nadu was in the government of the Congress ally DMK, and the Congress ruled Chhattisgarh.

Malviya took a dig at Jairam Ramesh, saying, "It is always good to read before one reacts." He further underlined the fact that the U.S. document states that the charges are just allegations, and until proved guilty, defendants are presumed innocent.

Adani Bribery Allegations

U.S. prosecutors say that amount Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and other officials of the group collectively paid out in bribes to obtain the solar energy contracts between 2020 and 2024 exceeds $250 million. The terms provided for those contracts would fetch over $2 billion.

None of the allegations has been denied by the Adani Group through any statement.

Congressional leaders have been grilling the BJP-led government for its favors to the Adani Group, often touted as the first choice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

However, the BJP has rejected these allegations and countered that the Adani Group has invested in several opposition-governed states. "Should we allow law to take its course, or should we plant ourselves in the domestic politics of a foreign country?" Malviya asked as Congress was urged not to get needlessly excited.

The case has once again ignited more debates over corporate governance and political influence in India. As Congress demands transparency and accountability, it has turned the tables for BJP's opposition as they accused BJP of playing politics over the international development.

The parliament session is approaching, but allegations against Adani may receive some heated argument in the political world. BJP Slams Congress Over Graft Charges, Raises Questions About Opposition Hand in Adani Case

The BJP on Thursday launched a sharp counterattack against the Congress over bribery charges filed by US prosecutors against industrialist Gautam Adani and others. It questioned whether all these states, named in the indictment were opposition ruled at the time of alleged offense.

BJP Questions Opposition's Role

BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya attacked the timing of the indictment, saying that it is happening just around the time when the Parliament session is beginning and former U.S. President Donald Trump again resurfacing as political factor.

"This raises several questions," Malviya said, accusing the Congress of acting "a prop in the hands of George Soros and his cabal." He was replying to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who had earlier claimed that the indictment vindicated Congress's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into alleged "Modani scams."

Quoting the U.S. indictment, Malviya said that between July 2021 and February 2022, bribes were paid to government officials of Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh.

"All of these states were opposition-ruled then," said Malviya. The BJD and the YSR Congress that ruled Odisha and Andhra Pradesh respectively, are both regional parties not affiliated to BJP or Congress. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand was under the ally of Congress DMK and Chhattisgarh was ruled by Congress itself.

Malviya targeted Jairam Ramesh, saying, "It is always good to read before one reacts." According to Malviya, the U.S. document "confirms the charges are allegations, not guilty unless proven so by evidence.".

Prosecutors in the US claim Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani as well as other officials of the group allegedly made more than $250 million in bribes between 2020 and 2024 to win solar energy contracts whose terms may fetch more than $2 billion in profits.

To date, the Adani Group hasn't brought out a statement about the allegations. The Congress has regularly accused the BJ-led government of doing favoritism towards the Adani Group, with Rahul Gandhi often linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the industrialist.

However, the party refused to buy this saying Adani Group has invested in many Oppositionruled states. "Should we let law take its course, or should we plant ourselves in the domestic politics of a foreign country?" Malviya asked while asking Congress not to get "overly excited".

True, this case has reignited debates over corporate governance and political influence in India. But while Congress is demanding greater transparency and accountability, the BJP has gone on to double down on its claim that the opposition is leeching international developments for purely political reasons.