Adani meets Shivakumar amid tunnel road row; BJP targets Congress
Karnataka BJP attacks Congress over the meeting, pointing to Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of Adani at the national level
Industrialist Gautam Adani met Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in Bengaluru on Sunday (August 23) and held discussions with him for nearly an hour.
The meeting was reportedly a “courtesy visit” but it has sparked a political controversy, with the BJP’s Karnataka unit hitting out at the ruling Congress and accusing it of “double standards” in its dealings with the Adani Group chairman.
Proposed tunnel project
The meeting comes amid the proposed tunnel road project from Hebbal to Silk Board, for which Adani Enterprises has emerged as the lowest bidder. The tender, however, has not yet been officially finalised.
Also read: Bengaluru tunnel road project: DK Shivakumar faces big test over Adani bid
Adani reportedly visited the Art of Living centre and met Shivakumar at the CM's residence in Sadashivanagar while returning to the airport. The Chief Minister's Office also maintained that it was a courtesy meeting.
It could not be immediately ascertained whether the tunnel project figured in the discussion between Shivakumar and Adani or whether the meeting was limited to exchanging pleasantries.
‘Double standards’
Senior BJP leader R Ashoka criticised the meeting and questioned whether Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had given permission for Shivakumar to meet Adani.
"Congress opposes Adani in Delhi while in Karnataka it is in his favour. Isn't this double standards?" Ashoka, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, said.
Also read: Will Karnataka’s Chief Minister DK Shivakumar hurt or heal Bengaluru?
He said the Karnataka government had "laid out a red carpet" for Adani.
BJP attacks Rahul Gandhi
Ashoka urged Shivakumar to tell Rahul Gandhi that Adani was a businessman and only doing business.
Ashoka also took a swipe at Rahul, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, over his environmental activism, asking him to come to Bengaluru and hug a tree at Lalbagh or Sankey Tank, which will be affected by the proposed tunnel road.
The BJP, especially party MP Tejasvi Surya, has been opposing the tunnel road. Surya has even approached the Karnataka High Court on this issue.
(With agency inputs)