In the first press conference since his removal as a Lok Sabha member, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi trained his guns on the alleged relationship between the BJP and industrialist Gautam Adani. He claimed his disqualification, targetted attack over his remarks, the portrayal of him as anti-OBC were all being done to keep people distracted from the Adani issue.
“I had only asked one question, Adani ji has shell companies, in which ₹20,000 crore was invested, this was not his money. The question is, who does this money belong to?” he asked.
He said that he had tabled proof in the Parliament on the relationship between Mr. Adani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, his remarks were expunged.
Mr. Gandhi further alleged that he had sent a detailed letter to the Speaker about how rules were amended to give Mr. Adani airports but there was no response from the Speaker. “My speech was expunged. I sent a detailed letter to the Speaker, detailing how rules were amended to give Mr. Adani airports. There was no response from the Speaker,” he said.
“Instead, the Ministers were making false charges against me. I wrote to Speaker, asking him to allow me to counter these false charges. I even met him, asking him why am I not allowed to speak. He smiled in response and said I can’t allow you to speak,” the Congress leader said.
‘Never sought foreign intervention’
On his alleged anti-India remarks in London, Mr. Gandhi said that he has never made a statement seeking intervention from foreign powers. “In fact, I said, this is India’s problem and we shall deal with it,” he said.
“I shall continue asking questions. Who does that Rs 20,000 crore belong to? They can disqualify me all they want, I won’t be cowed down or intimidated,” he said, adding, “I am here to defend of democratic rights of the people. I am not scared of prison sentences. They don’t know me yet. I am not scared of them”.
On the BJP’s allegation about insulting the OBC community, the Congress leader said that there is no difference between communities and that everyone is equal. “Look at my speeches from Bharat Jodo Yatra, I have said repeatedly that all communities are equal peg. For me there is no difference, everyone is equal. This is not a question of OBC. The question is limited to whose money is it?” Mr. Gandhi clarified.
He said that PM Modi is “terrified” of his next speech on the Adani issue. “I have seen it in his eyes. So they first created distraction and now disqualification.”
The Congress leader thanked the Oppsition parties for their support and said ‘we shall all work together”.