In an allegation that is asbizarre as it is surprising, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that there was a nexus between the Congress and "Ambani and Adani", and asked if the party had received "tempo loads of black money" from the two businessmen, so that its leader Rahul Gandhi stops "abusing" them.
Criticising the Congress's "double standards" at public meetings in Telangana's Warangal and Karimnagaron Wednesday, Modi said for five years Gandhi has been obsessed with Ambani and Adani. However, his perspective has shifted overnight. Now, he is silent about them.
Has the 'Shehzada struck adeal ("sauda")? "Since his Rafale issue was grounded, he started chanting about 'five industrialists'. Then the cry became "Ambani-Adani". But ever since elections have been announced, these people (Congress) have stopped abusing the two industrialists.
"I want to ask from Telangana soil, let the Shehzada announce, how much has been lifted from Ambani-Adani. Has tempo loads of money reached the Congress? What deal has been struck, for the Ambani-Adani abuse to cease overnight?" he said while addressing an election rally at Vemulawada in Telangana. "Certainly something is fishy. It means you have received some tempo loads of 'chori ka maal' (loot)...Kaale dhan ki kitni boriya bharkar ke rupaye maare hai (how many sacks of black money you have collected?). You have to tell the nation," the Prime Minister said.
Congress counterattack
In a swift rejoinder, Jairam Ramesh pointed out that since April 3, 2024, Rahul Gandhi has mentioned Adani 103 times and Ambani more than 30 times in his speeches. At a public meeting in Rae Bareli, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra waded into the issue, charging that the BJP has a nexus with industrialists and the entire BJP machinery is engaged in spreading "lies" about Rahul Gandhi.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that Modi's chair is "shaking" after three poll phases as he has started attacking his own "friends" and this shows the discernible trend of the result. "Times are changing. Dost dostna raha...! (Friends are no longer friends!) After the completion of three phases, today the Prime Minister has started attacking his own friends. It is becoming clear that Modiji's chair is wobbly. This is the real underlying poll sentiment," Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that the tide of has turned so "violently" that the "Pappa" of "Hum Do Hamare Do" is turning on his own children."Defeat is a foregone conclusion. The Prime Minister is now spooked even by his own shadow," he said in a post on X and shared a picture of Modi with his shadow. The Congress leader further said: "The man who collected Rs 8,200 crore of Electoral Bonds for his party -- a scam so egregious that even the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional -- is today levelling allegations against others."
"Remember that through his 'Chaar Raaste', the Prime Minister has given contracts and licenses worth Rs 4 lakh crore to his cronies in return for their donations. If today, 21 Indian billionaires have as much wealth as 70 crore Indians, it is all thanks to the PM's intentions and policies. It also goes without saying that 'Hamare Do' are key players among the 21," Ramesh alleged. He pointed out that since January 28, 2023, the Congress party has repeatedly demanded the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the "Modani scam". "We reiterated this demand even after the elections began - on April 23, 2024, and just five days ago, on May 3, 2024. Since April 3, 2024, Rahul Gandhi has mentioned Adani 103 times and Ambani more than 30 times in his speeches," he added.
