NEW DELHI: Congress leader and Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday responded to PM Modi‘s recent remark to US press on Adani Group row. He said that the issue is not a “personal matter” but rather a matter of the country.
“Narendra Modi ji, this is not a personal matter. It’s a matter of the country,” he said while speaking to young people at a gathering in Lalganj during the second day of his constituency visit.
Gandhi additionally claimed that there was a case of “corruption and theft” pending against Adani in the US.
“And what our PM says, it’s an individual matter and we don’t discuss it! Had he truly been India’s prime minister, he would have asked Trump about the matter and told him that he would get it enquired and if needed send him (to the US) for inquiry. But no, he said it’s a personal matter,” Gandhi said.
Last week during his recent US visit, PM Modi responded firmly during when asked whether the Adani Group matter was discussed during his talks with US President Trump, stating that such individual matters are not discussed between leaders of nations.
“India is a democracy and our culture is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, we consider the whole world as one family. I believe every Indian is mine. Two prominent leaders of two countries never discuss such individual issues,” he said in response to queries about discussions regarding the “Gautam Adani case” with Donald Trump.
On November 20 last year, US authorities filed charges against Gautam Adani and several executives from his business group, alleging their involvement in a $250 million bribery scheme related to solar power project contracts in India.
The US Department of Justice’s indictment named Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and other associates. The allegations include securities and wire fraud, with claims that the group misled US investors about their anti-corruption practices whilst engaging in widespread bribery.
The business group issued a firm denial of the accusations. “The charges made by the US Department of Justice and SEC against directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied,” the group said.