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'Be it Adani, Ambani or...': Gehlot a day after sharing stage with industrialist
During the event held on Friday, Gehlot praised Adani and addressed him as "Adani bhai".
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said on Saturday anyone who wants to make an investment in the state will be welcomed, be it home minister Amit Shah's son Jay Shah or industrialist Gautam Adani. Gehlot's statement comes a day after he praised Adani during an investment summit that drew flak from a string of BJP leaders.
Gehlot - in an apparent dig at the BJP - condemned those who are mocking the Congress for Adani's visit. He said it was not a private programme and 3,000 delegates were in attendance, asserting that their ideologies could be that of Congress or the BJP.
Also read | Will oppose Adani investment in Rajasthan only when…: Rahul Gandhi
"It is not a private event, it is an investors' summit. Are 3,000 delegates (who attended the summit) of the Congress?," Gehlot was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
"In such a situation, why do they want to create a hurdle? I condemn these people. They talked about Gautam Adani yesterday (Friday). Be it Gautam Adani or any Adani, or Ambani or Amit Shah's son Jay Shah, we will welcome all of them here. We want employment, we want investment," the chief minister said.
Adani was seated next to Gehlot at the Rajasthan Investment Summit held on Friday. During the event, Gehlot praised Adani and addressed him as "Adani bhai". He also congratulated him on becoming the second richest person in the world.
BJP MLA Vasudev Devnani was among a few leaders who targeted the Congress following Gehlot's praise for Adani. In a tweet in Hindi, he said, "The chief minister, who constantly attacks the central government by taking Adani's name, is not tired of praising him in front of crores of Rajasthan citizens during the last days of his unstable government."
"Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party which constantly curses the central government in the name of Adani is now being kind to him. The head of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot is providing valuable land to Adani group on concessional rates," deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore said.
Meanwhile, Adani has announced plans to invest ₹65,000 crore in Rajasthan spanning over the next five to seven years; these include the setting up of a 10,000-MW solar power facility, expansion of a cement plant, and upgradation of Jaipur International Airport.
Rahul Gandhi has also clarified his stand on the issue and said he is not against any corporate and that his opposition is towards monopolisation.
"Mr Adani has committed ₹60,000 crore to Rajasthan. No chief minister can refuse such an offer. In fact, it would not be correct for a chief minister to refuse such an offer," Rahul Gandhi said earlier in the day, at the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' press conference.
(With PTI inputs)
