Rahul Gandhi Attacks PM Modi, Asks how Many Times has he Traveled Abroad With Adani

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also displayed a picture of PM Narendra Modi with Gautam Adani in the business tycoon's plane to highlight their alleged proximity.

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday (February 7, 2023) continued to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the industrialist Gautam Adani issue. Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Lok Sabha as the first opposition speaker, Gandhi alleged that Adani helped PM Modi to construct the idea of a "resurgent Gujarat". He also linked the massive rise in the business fortunes and personal wealth of Adani to the Modi government coming to power in 2014.

The former Congress chief also displayed a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Adani in the business tycoon's plane to highlight their alleged proximity.

Here are key highlights from Rahul Gandhi's address in Lok Sabha:

• In his address, Rahul Gandhi said that during his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, he talked to people of different age groups and people all across took the name of 'Adani'.
  
• "From Tamil Nadu, Kerala to Himachal Pradesh, we have been listening to just one name everywhere 'Adani'. All across the country, it is just Adani, Adani, Adani`... People used to ask me that if Adani enters any business, it never fails," he said.
  
• He also said that the youth have asked him how has Gautam Adani's net worth risen multiple times.
  
• "The youth has asked us that Adani who is now in eight to ten sectors, how is it that his net worth has risen from USD 8 billion in 2014 to USD 140 billion in 2022. It was only Adani who talked about bringing the apples of Kashmir and Himachal to the ports, airports, and even the roads we are walking on," Rahul Gandhi said.
  
• "Relationships begin many years ago when Narendra Modi was Gujarat's Chief Minister... one man stood shoulder to shoulder with PM Modi, he was loyal to the PM and helped Mr Modi construct the idea of a 'Resurgent Gujarat'. The real magic began when PM Modi reached the national capital in 2014," he added.
  
• The Congress leader also alleged that the Modi government has changed the rules which allowed only previously experienced firms to be involved in airport development.
  
• "There is a rule who does not have prior experience in airports can't be involved in the development of airports. This rule was changed by the Government of India and Adani was given six airports," he said. 
  
• Gandhi claimed that India's most profitable airport Mumbai Airport was "hijacked" from GVK Industries using the CBI and ED and was given to Adani by the Centre.
  
• Rahul Gandhi also posed a few questions to PM Modi and asked him how many times has he traveled abroad with Adani. 
  
• "How many times did Adani meet you on your foreign trips?" he asked.
  
• "How many times Adani went to that country immediately after your foreign trip and got a contract?" Gandhi asked Modi.
  
• "How much money did Adani give to BJP in electoral bonds?," the Congress leader further asked.

प्रधानमंत्री के जादू ने 2014 में 609वें रैंक वाले अडानी को दुनिया का दूसरा सबसे अमीर व्यक्ति बना दिया।

राजनीति और व्यापार के ऐसे रिश्ते से ‘मित्र’ का बिजनेस कैसे बढ़ाएं, इसमें मोदी जी को ‘गोल्ड मेडल’मिलना चाहिए।https://t.co/lHjFgL9qnF pic.twitter.com/q7nm0AMn9z — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 7, 2023

LIVE: Shri @RahulGandhi's reply to the Hon’ble President’s address in Lok Sabha. https://t.co/TKomLoHbQ9

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 7, 2023

The Adani Group is currently facing the heat following the allegations of fraud and stock manipulation by a US-based short-selling firm Hindenburg Research.

The company's stocks have also been hammered even though the group has rejected the charges.