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Published 20:12 IST, November 21st 2024

Rahul's Hollow Demand Against Adani Puts Revanth in Fix, Exposes His Hypocrisy

Now, with Rahul Gandhi's demand to arrest Adani, his hypocrisy—and that of the Congress party—has come under intense scrutiny.

Reported by: Digital Desk
Edited by: Surabhi Shaurya
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Rahul's Hollow Demand Against Adani Puts Revanth in Fix
Rahul's Hollow Demand Against Adani Puts Revanth in Fix | Image: Republic Digital

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ’s call for action against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani has exposed his hollow claims and contradictions within his own party, putting Telangana Congress Chief A. Revanth Reddy in a fix. Reddy, who has been actively signing agreements and receiving donations from the Adani Group, now finds himself in the spotlight amid Gandhi’s demands to initiate action against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani after the billionaire industrialist was charged in the US for alleged bribery and fraud.

What Did Rahul Gandhi Say?

Addressing a press conference hours after the US prosecutors charged Adani and associates for allegedly paying USD 250 million bribe to Indian officials, the Congress leader said it is now pretty clear and established in the US that the businessman has broken Indian as well as American laws.

The Adani group denied the charges, saying the allegations by US prosecutors are baseless and the conglomerate is compliant with all laws. It also said that all possible legal recourse will be sought.

He said Adani should be arrested immediately and interrogated while his "protector" and SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch should be removed from her post and a probe should be initiated.

Gandhi further said he would raise the issue during the Winter session of Parliament, which would begin on Monday. The entire opposition is together on the matter and will jointly raise the issue, he added. 

Revanth Reddy, Congress in Fix

On October 19, Gautam Adani met the Telangana Chief Minister and donated ₹100 crore toward the Young India Skills University, which is being established in the state. During a press conference in Maharashtra on November 9, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy openly welcomed Adani Group's investments and donations. 

"A delegation from Adani Foundation, led by Chairperson of Adani Group, Gautam Adani, met with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to hand over a donation cheque of Rs 100 crore towards the establishment of Young India Skills University," the Chief Minister’s Office had posted on X. The office also noted that Adani expressed continued support for the state's youth empowerment initiatives.

Earlier this year in January, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Adani Group signed 4 agreements with the Telangana government, committing an investment of ₹12,400 crore across various sectors. These included ₹5,000 crore for the establishment of two pumped storage projects with a combined capacity of 1,350 MW.

Rahul Gandhi, Congress' Hypocrisy Exposed

Now, with Rahul Gandhi's demand to arrest Adani, his hypocrisy—and that of the Congress party—has come under intense scrutiny. Despite Gandhi’s vocal criticism of Adani, Congress leaders like Revanth Reddy have been actively engaging with the Adani Group, signing multi-crore deals and accepting donations.

This glaring contradiction raises serious questions about the credibility of Gandhi’s rhetoric. If the Congress leadership truly believes in holding Adani accountable, it begs the question: why are they continuing to collaborate with his empire at the state level? Gandhi’s call for an investigation seems less about principle and more about political posturing, leaving the Congress party looking increasingly disconnected from its own actions.

Adani Group Denies All Charges 

Adani group denied charges of paying bribe to secure favourable terms for solar power contracts, saying the allegations by US prosecutors are baseless and the conglomerate is compliant with all laws. It said all possible legal recourse will be sought.

“The allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied,” the group spokesperson said in a statement.

Billionaire Gautam Adani has been charged by US prosecutors for allegedly being part of a scheme to pay over USD 250 million (about Rs 2,100 crore) bribe to Indian officials in exchange of favourable terms for solar power contracts.

Commenting on the development, the spokesperson pointed to a US Department of Justice statement that said “the charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty”.

“The Adani Group has always upheld and is steadfastly committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance, transparency and regulatory compliance across all jurisdictions of its operations. We assure our stakeholders, partners and employees that we are a law-abiding organisation, fully compliant with all laws,” the spokesperson added. 
 

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Updated 20:33 IST, November 21st 2024