‘PM Modi should get gold medal’: Rahul Gandhi on foreign policy, Adani interests

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that India’s foreign policy under the BJP-led ruling dispensation has aligned with the interests of billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani.

Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said that Prime Minister Modi’s visit to foreign countries was followed by Adani “magically” bagging contracts there.

Referring to Adani’s foray into defence sector, Gandhi alleged that Adani bagged 90 per cent of the defence deals between Israel and India by just a single visit by PM Modi.

Gandhi cited the example of Australia, saying PM Modi visited that country and with “magic” USD 1 billion was given to Adani by the State Bank of India. He also listed the examples of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka visits of the prime minister to claim that following the trips Adani got contracts there.

“On Modi ji’s first trip to Bangladesh, a decision is taken to sell electricity to Bangladesh. Few days later, Bangladesh Power Development Board signs a 25-year contract with Mr Adani,” the Wayanad MP said. “Let’s move to Sri Lanka now.”

In June 2022, the chairman of Sri Lanka’s Ceylon electricity board informed a parliamentary hearing that President Rajapaksa told him that PM Modi “pressured” him to give the wind power contract to Adani, Gandhi alleged.

“So this summarises your foreign policy. This is not India’s foreign policy. This is Mr Adani’s foreign policy, a policy to enhance his businesses,” the Congress leader said.

“The whole world should conduct a study on Mr Adani, Harvard University should conduct a study that what kind of relation exists between politics and business. India is a case study and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be given a gold medal in this,” Gandhi signed off.

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad accused Rahul Gandhi of making baseless, shameless and reckless allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said the Congress itself was involved in “big scams” which “tarnished” the image of the country.

“Rahul Gandhi made baseless, shameless and reckless allegations against PM Modi,” Prasad told reporters outside Parliament.

“The Congress and its leaders were involved in all those big scams which tarnished the image of India,” he added.

Prasad also referred to the National Herald case and the AgustaWestland scam case to attack the Gandhi family. “It’s time to revive the memory of Rahul Gandhi on corruption.”