Rahul Gandhi gestures during a press conference on Gautam Adani being indicted by US prosecutors for his alleged role in a scheme to bribe Indian officials.
Credit: Reuters Photo
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday demanded the immediate arrest of Gautam Adani following his indictment in the United States on charges of bribery and fraud while accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being hand in glove with the billionaire industrialist in corruption and protecting him '100 per cent'.
In what he saw as a 'vindication' of the allegations he raised over the years, Rahul said it is now established in the United States that Adani has broken both American and Indian law and he is wondering why the industrialist is 'running around a free man' in India where no probe has been launched against him.
“Wherever there is corruption, investigation should be done. But investigation should begin with Adani. Unless he is arrested, it won't be credible...Arrest Adani, interrogate him and n arrest whoever is involved. In the end, Modi's name will come out because the whole funding is done by Adani...Adani has hijacked the country. India is in Adani’s grip,” he said.
Demanding the removal of SEBI chief Madhabi Puri Buch, who the top Congress leader claimed was protecting Adani Group’s share prices, he alleged that the Prime Minister is 'corrupt' and Adani is his 'bagman'. He claimed Modi does not have the capability to arrest Adani, as he controls Modi and the funding of the ruling BJP.
With Congress and other Opposition ruled states entering into deals with Adani Group, Rahul also said he is open to an investigation into such deals and there would not be any problem if it is after 'due process' but the first step should be to take action against the industrialist, who has “hijacked India.
Rahul’s sharp attack on Modi and Adani came after the industrialist was charged by the US prosecutors with bribery and securities fraud in two separate cases. He was accused of being part of a scheme to pay over $250 million or around Rs 2,100 crore bribe to Indian officials in exchange of favourable terms for solar power contracts.
“Chief Ministers have been arrested…Adani has apparently done a Rs 2,000 crore scam, and multiple others probably. He is scot free, running around, there is no investigation...This is a vindication of what we have been saying that the Prime Minister is protecting Adani and (that) the Prime Minister is involved in corruption with Adani,” Rahul told a press conference.
At the same time, he said, “I can guarantee that Adani won’t be arrested or investigated in India because the Modi government is protecting him… Even if he (Modi) wants to do something, he can’t because he is under the control of Adani.”
Taking a jibe at Modi’s election slogan ‘Ek Hain to Safe Hain’, he said as long as the Prime Minister and Adani are together, they are safe and no one can touch them in India. “Adani has to be arrested. He has to be arrested today. Buch did not conduct an investigation to protect Adani. She should be removed and investigated,” he said.
Asked about how the Opposition is planning to take up the issue in the upcoming Winter Session, he said it is his duty to bring the issue before Parliament and tell that the Prime Minister is “100% protecting Adani”, who has “taken over Indian assets through corruption, and that the industrialist is “fully supporting” the BJP.
“A Joint Parliamentary Committee (probe) is important...We want to show that Adani will not be arrested because the Prime Minister standing behind him...The question is why is Adani out of jail when Modi says place of a corrupt person is in prison,” he said adding they would be exposing the network, involving political, financial and bureaucratic circles.
Claiming that the Prime Minister’s credibility is “completely destroyed”, he said it is wrong to say that the Opposition has not achieved anything through its campaign against Adani. He said what they were doing was telling people about the network that is helping Adani and one of them, Buch, has already been exposed.