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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by bringing up the Adani 'corruption' issue in Karnataka's Kolar district and reiterated that he was not scared of the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre.
It was in Kolar in 2019, during Lok Sabha election campaigning, that he made a remark on the Modi surname for which he was convicted of criminal defamation and stripped of his Parliament membership last month.
In his first visit to Karnataka after assembly polls were announced on March 29, Gandhi emphasised on the Adani issue to target the prime minister and sought to know Modi's 'relation' with businessman Gautam Adani.
"I was disqualified from Parliament. They (central government) think that they will scare me by removing me and threatening me. I am not the one to get scared," Gandhi told the crowd at the event called 'Jai Bharat'.
"Till the time I get the reply, I will keep asking this question. You disqualify me, jail me or do whatever you want, I am not going to get scared," he added.
Alleging that there was no investigation happening against Adani Group's firms that operate in the defence infrastructure, Gandhi charged that the chairman of the beleaguered conglomerate has appointed a Chinese man in his 'shell company'.
"Adani is a symbol of corruption," Gandhi said.
"I want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi: what is your relation with Adani who is being given airports in India? Rules are changed for him to award him contract. Why are the rules being changed?" Gandhi wondered.
The former Congress president said Adani Group has no expertise to run airports, which is a prerequisite for operating them but yet they were handed over to the business group.
"Those who owned airports were implicated by the central agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) and then these airports were given to Adani," the Congress leader said.
In Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen with his counterpart and Gautam Adani and a senior State Bank of India officer were seen next to them, he alleged, adding that the very next day, the SBI granted a loan to Adani.
In Sri Lanka, Gandhi claimed, the chairman of the airport authority there stated that the President of the island nation told him that Modi had asked officials to help out Adani.
"The prime minister goes to Bangladesh and the contract goes to Adani. The PM goes to Israel and Adani gets cement and airport contracts," Gandhi alleged.
Besides, the Congress leader added that he has already raised the issue of Rs 20,000 crore belonging to Adani's 'shell companies' and wanted to know whose money it was.
Upon raising these questions, the ruling party did not allow Parliament to function, Gandhi said.
Gandhi also said his party would be voted to power in the coming assembly elections in Karnataka, and the new government would formally approve its poll promises in the first cabinet meeting itself.
The poll 'guarantees' announced by the party are: 'Gruha Jyothi' offering 200 units of free electricity every month to all, 'Gruha Lakshmi' giving Rs 2,000 per month to every woman head of the family, 'Anna Bhagya' offering 10 kg rice to each member of a BPL family every month and 'Yuva Nidhi' where Rs 3,000 will per month be given to unemployed graduates and Rs 1,500 per month to diploma holders for two years.
"These schemes will be implemented on the first day in the first cabinet meeting itself," Gandhi said during the 'Jai Bharat' rally.
He asked the Congress leaders in Karnataka to send across a message all over the country that 'if Prime Minister Narendra Modi can give thousands of crores to Adani, we can give money to the poor and women'.
"If you wholeheartedly help Adani, we (Congress) will wholeheartedly help poor, unemployed youth and women. You (PM Modi) do your work, we will do our work," Gandhi said.
He also attacked the Basavaraj Bommai government in Karnataka over corruption issues, including allegations by contractors and private schools that they were forced to pay '40 per cent commission' and charges of 'corruption' in the recruitment of sub-inspectors.
Gandhi alleged that the contractors' association had written a letter on the issue of '40 per cent commission' to the prime minister but he remained silent on it, which was a 'confession' that there indeed was corruption.