‘I’ll Continue to Ask, What Is PM’s Relationship With Mr. Adani?’: Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi

In his first detailed response to his disqualification as an MP, Gandhi said he will continue to fight to protect democratic voices of the country.

New Delhi: In his first detailed response to his disqualification as a member of the parliament, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that he is not scared of the Bharatiya Janata Party or the prime minister, and will continue to fight to protect democratic voices of the country.

He added that irrespective of the possibility that he may eventually have to serve his two-year sentencing and the fact that he may not be in parliament, he will continue to reach out to people of the country and keep questioning the prime minister about his relationship with Gautam Adani, the Adani Group’s chief, who is facing allegations of stock manipulation and accounting fraud.

“I am here defending the democratic voice of the Indian people. I will continue to do that. I am not scared of these threats, this disqualification or these allegations or these prison sentences. These people don’t understand me yet. I am not scared of them. They are used to people being scared of them. I am not scared of them,” Gandhi said.

“I will continue to ask the question. What is the prime minister’s relationship with Mr.Adani? It is an old relationship. It is a relationship that began when he (Narendra Modi) was the chief minister of Gujarat. Mr. Adani constructed the idea of “a resurgent Gujarat”. He organised all that. It is a close partnership. I am going to keep asking about it,” the Congress leader said.

Gandhi pointed out that the attack against him began after his February speech in parliament where he had sought to highlight the nexus between the Union government and the Adani Group in cornering a majority of business deals, including a large section of defence deals.

Also read: The Adani Group Crisis and the Projects in South Asian Nations

“The BJP started its work soon after that,” he said, adding that his speech was expunged and his remarks in the UK were distorted to deflect attention from association between the prime minister and Gautam Adani.

“My question is that Rs 20,000 crore are in shell companies owned by Mr. Adani. Mr. Adani couldn’t have generated the money. He is in the infrastructure business. Where did that money come from? Whose money is it,” he asked.

“There is a Chinese national involved in this. Why is nobody asking who he is,” he alleged.

Gandhi said that immediately after he raised these problematic questions for the prime minister, the BJP wanted him silenced. He also claimed that despite several requests and letters to the Lok Sabha speaker to allow him to give an explanation on the floor, the speaker expressed his powerlessness to do so.

Nothing was revoked.

He said that the BJP ministers “lied” about his remarks in parliament, claiming that he sought foreign intervention in Indian matters. Gandhi termed the lie as “most ridiculous” as he said exactly the opposite of what the BJP ministers claimed in parliament.

Also read: Who Is Afraid of Rahul Gandhi?

“You must understand that I seek out the truth. I know that it is not fashionable in politics. But I know only one path, and that is my life’s meditation. It is in my blood. They can do anything to me. They may beat me or put me in prison. But I follow this path because this country has given me everything. ” he said.

He said it is clear that the BJP’s concerted attack on him is only to protect Gautam Adani, and his question is why is the BJP doing this to “protect this one person.”

“All the moves by the BJP is a result of the panic (in their ranks) that Mr. Adani’s relationship with the prime minister is going to be exposed,” he said.

He said that the opposition will press the matter until their relationship is exposed. He also thanked the opposition leaders for supporting him after his disqualification.

He added that he is planning to write a letter addressing the people of his constituency to let them know how he feels at the moment.