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On Rahul's call for case study on Adani rise, PM Modi says, ‘Harvard has done…’
The prime minister said the Opposition had wasted the past nine years in levelling baseless allegations instead of indulging in constructive criticism.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President's address was full of jibes thrown at the Opposition, particularly at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who had launched a scathing attack on the government in Lok Sabha over the Adani crisis. Responding to Rahul Gandhi's suggestion of a study on the meteoric rise in the business fortunes of billionaire Gautam Adani under the Modi government, the prime minister said an important study has been done at the Ivy League research university on the subject – 'Rise and fall of India's Congress Party'. (Also Read | 'Wo ab chal chuke hain…': PM Modi jabs at Congress over Rahul Gandhi's speech)
Without naming Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi said, “Some people here have a craze for Harvard studies. During Covid, it was said that there will be a case study on the devastation in India. Over the years an important study has been done at Harvard and the subject of the study is the 'Rise and fall of India's Congress Party'.”
On Tuesday, participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Lok Sabha as the first Opposition speaker, Gandhi made a barrage of allegations against Modi. Gandhi attacked the Centre over the sharp rise in the fortunes of the Adani Group, which has suffered a stock price meltdown since American firm Hindenberg accused it of fraud last month. He also linked State foreign visits to the group’s global gains.
He called the nexus between politics and business a case study, and accused the government of bending rules and using agencies to give the Adani Group airport contracts.
"There should be a case study on Adani by business schools such as Harvard, on how the relationship between business and politics works, India is a case study," Gandhi said.
His charges in Lok Sabha drew a sharp response from the treasury benches, with Union law minister Kiren Rijiju asking him to not level "wild allegations" and furnish proof of his claims. Speaker Om Birla disapproved of Rahul Gandhi displaying a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Adani in the business tycoon's plane to highlight their widely perceived proximity.
