Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has called for the immediate arrest of billionaire Gautam Adani after the US prosecutors charged him with allegedly paying over $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure solar energy contracts. Rahul Gandhi’s statement came in the wake of the indictment of Gautam Adani, the chairman of the Adani Group, and several others involved in the bribery scheme.
Gandhi, in a strong critique of the business tycoon, said, “It is now pretty clear and established in America that Mr. Adani has broken both Indian law and American laws. He has been indicted in the US. I am wondering why Mr. Adani is running around a free man in this country.” The Congress leader went on to highlight what he perceives as a glaring contradiction in how the law is applied in India. “Chief Ministers have been arrested… Adani has apparently committed a Rs 2,000 crore scam and several other possible violations, but he is running scot-free. This is a clear case of double standards,” Gandhi remarked.
Rahul Gandhi also emphasized the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this controversy, asserting, “We have been raising this again and again… It is a vindication of what we have been saying. The PM is protecting Mr. Adani, and the PM is involved in corruption with Mr. Adani.” The Congress leader’s remarks underline a long-standing accusation that Modi’s government has shielded Adani from scrutiny and accountability.
The charges brought against Adani in the United States have sparked renewed political debate in India, with opposition parties, particularly Congress, seeking answers over the role of government officials and the alleged financial malpractices. As the case progresses in the US, political observers are closely watching how it will impact Adani’s standing in India, where his business empire has close ties to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Rahul Gandhi’s call for Adani’s arrest adds fuel to the ongoing opposition campaign against the ruling party, further intensifying the political rhetoric ahead of future elections.