Charges of nexus with Adani group are hurting Narendra Modi’s credibility: Rahul Gandhi

Shubhadeep Choudhury                                                                                 

New Delhi, October 18

In the midst of hectic preparations for the Assembly elections in five states next month, the Congress on Wednesday trained guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again on his alleged nexus with Adani Group and said the charges were affecting his credibility.

“Questions are being raised regarding the credibility of the Prime Minister. Everyone in the country knows who is backing the Adani Group and whose protection it enjoys,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who took time off from a meeting of the party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) to address a press conference here, said when asked about the net result of the Congress party’s protracted campaign targeting Prime Minister Modi’s alleged link with the Adani Group.

Accusing the Adani Group of purchasing coal in Indonesia and selling it in India at double the purchase price, Gandhi said this could not have been possible without the Prime Minister’s protection.

Citing a report published last week in the Financial Times newspaper of London, Gandhi said the Adani Group had made a profit of Rs 32,000 crore by selling coal at an inflated price.

Gandhi said the common man had to bear the burden as the high price of the “over-invoiced” imported coal resulted in shooting up of the price of electricity.

The Congress leader said if the Congress formed the government in Delhi it would order a probe into the issue.

“I do not understand why the Prime Minister does not comment on this. This cannot happen without the protection of the Prime Minister. It is impossible,” Gandhi said.

“I am trying to help the Prime Minister. I am telling him to give a clarification and come clean,” Gandhi said.

He said he was urging the PM to “start the investigation” (into the charges against the Adani group) in the interest of his credibility. “But the Prime Minister is not interested in defending his credibility,” Gandhi said.

Answering a question, Gandhi said Sharad Pawar is not protecting the Adani Group. “Sharad Pawar is not the Prime Minister of India. Sharad Pawar is not protecting Adani. Modi is,” Rahul said.