Will oppose Adani investment in Rajasthan only when…: Rahul Gandhi
At the Bharat Jodo Yatra press conference on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi said he is not against corporates but the monopolisation of Indian businesses. No chief minister can resist what Adani has offered to Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi said.
A day after Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot came under fire for praising industrialist Gautam Adani while Rahul Gandhi keeps targetting Adani-Ambani in his attack against the BJP government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi clarified his stand on the issue and said he is not against any corporate -- 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 as he was asked to comment on the issue. At the Bharat Jodo press conference on Saturday, he stopped Jairam Ramesh who asked reporters to ask questions only relating to Bharat Jodo and said he will answer the question as it is an important one. "I will also answer this question in English," Rahul Gandhi said.
"My contention is in the use of political power to help certain chosen businesses. My opposition is to 2 or 3 or 4 large businesses being helped politically to monopolise every single business in this country. That is where my opposition is," Rahul Gandhi said.
"I am in no way against the corporates, businesses, but against the complete monopolisation of businesses as that weakens the country. And today what we are seeing is a complete monopolisation of all businesses. And that's my problem," Rahul Gandhi said.
The Rajasthan government has not used political power to help Adani in the state, Rahul Gandhi said adding, "The day they do that, I will stand in the opposition."
At the Rajasthan Investment Summit on Friday, Ashok Gehlot praised Gautam Adani and called him Adani bhai. He also congratulated him on becoming the second richest person in the world. In the backdrop of Ashok Gehlot's apparent fallout with the high command following the Rajasthan rebellion, the BJP called Gehlot's praise for Adani a 'tight slap' on Rahul Gandhi. "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.
The chairman of the Adani Group has announced ₹65,000 crore investment in the state over the next five to seven years - setting up a 10,000 MW solar power facility, expanding cement plant, and upgrading the Jaipur International Airport.
While this happened in Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi on Friday did not dither to tweet against this ‘monopolisation’. "Yesterday, I met a woman. Her farmer husband died of suicide as he had a debt of ₹50,000. One Bharat: Loan to capitalist friends at 6% interest and loan waiver of crores. Second India: A life full of debt and hardships at 24% interest to Annadata. 'Two Indias' in one country, we will not accept it," he tweeted,