February 21st 2025.
During his visit to Rae Bareli, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, took a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comments about the Adani Group during his trip to the United States. Gandhi emphasized that the controversy surrounding the conglomerate was not a "personal matter" but rather one that affected the entire country. He made these remarks to a group of enthusiastic youth during his visit to the Lalganj area, on the second day of his trip to his parliamentary constituency.
Gandhi was referring to PM Modi's recent media interaction in the US, where he was asked about his discussions with US President Donald Trump and the ongoing controversy surrounding the Adani Group. The prime minister had dismissed it as an "individual issue" and stated that such matters are not typically discussed when world leaders meet. However, Gandhi was quick to point out that this was not a personal matter but rather a national one.
He went on to accuse PM Modi of telling the American media that Gautam Adani, the business tycoon at the center of the controversy, was his friend and therefore he would not bring up the matter with Trump. Gandhi further alleged that Adani was facing serious charges of corruption and theft in the US and that PM Modi should have raised the issue with Trump and assured him of a thorough investigation if needed. However, instead of taking action, PM Modi dismissed it as a personal matter.
During a press briefing at the White House on February 14, PM Modi was asked about the bribery charges against Adani. In response, he stated that India is a democratic country and that "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (the world is one family) is the core of their culture and philosophy. He added that every Indian is important to him and went on to say that individual issues are not discussed when two world leaders meet.
PM Modi clarified that such personal matters are not typically brought up in discussions between two prominent leaders. Even Trump did not mention the case during the press conference. Last year, under the previous president Joe Biden, the Department of Justice charged Adani for allegedly paying over USD 250 million in bribes to Indian officials in exchange for favorable terms for solar power contracts. The Adani Group has denied these allegations.
It was also alleged that the Adani group had concealed this information from US banks and investors from whom they had raised billions of dollars for their project. The prosecutors cited the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act that allows pursuing foreign corruption allegations if they have links to American investors or markets. However, the Adani group has refuted these claims and called them baseless. This situation has raised serious questions about the integrity of the Adani Group and the actions of PM Modi in addressing the matter.
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