PM didn't answer questions on Adani, but asked why I'm not a Nehru: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi continued his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Hindenburg allegations against the Adani Group while addressing a public meeting in his Lok Sabha constituency, Wayanad, in Kerala.
The former Congress president questioned why the Prime Minister, instead of answering the questions that had been posed to him in the Lok Sabha about Adani, instead resorted to talking about Rahul’s surname.
He said he had written a letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla with supporting proof to buttress his remarks in the Lok Sabha (which were expunged from the House records), alleging a “nexus” between Prime Minister Modi and businessman Gautam Adani.
‘The truth always comes out’
Rahul asked why Modi’s comment “directly insulting” Rahul about his surname had not been expunged from the records. Modi had asked Rahul why his surname was Gandhi and not Nehru, and what was the shame in using the Nehru name.
“It does not matter, because the truth always comes out,” said Rahul.
Rahul said: “I asked the Prime Minister some questions. I asked him about his relationship with Mr Adani. I asked how Mr Adani has grown so fast. The Prime Minister did not answer a single question. His response to my questions was why are you not called Nehru, why are you called Gandhi. Because generally in India – maybe Mr Modi doesn’t understand this – but generally in India, our surname is the surname of our father.”
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Rahul continued, “I spoke in the most polite, respectful tone. I did not use any bad language. I did not abuse anybody. I just raised certain facts. But my remarks were expunged.”
Rahul told the people, “All you had to do was look at my face when I was speaking and look at the PM’s face. Look at how many times he drank water, how his hand was shaking when he was drinking water, and you will understand everything.”
I am not scared of Narendra Modi: Rahul
The Congress leader said Modi might consider himself a strongman whom everyone should fear, but he did not realize that the absolute last thing Rahul was scared of was Narendra Modi. “It doesn’t matter whether he is the Prime Minister and whether he has all the agencies. It doesn’t matter. Because the truth is not on his side. And one day he will be forced to face his truth,” said Rahul.
Referring to his speech in the Lok Sabha, the Congress MP said he had emphasized how Adani had travelled with the PM to other countries and received contracts from those countries soon after – contracts in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and loans from SBI. How Adani controlled about 30% of the airport traffic today as a consequence of changed rules because of his relationship with the PM. How Adani was obtaining contracts in almost every industry in the country and was becoming a monopoly. How shell companies abroad were sending thousands of crores into India, and nobody was aware of who the shell companies belonged to.
Also read: Modi will do his best to stop Adani discussion in Parliament: Rahul Gandhi
Rahul told everyone that any of them could search on the internet and look for pictures of Prime Minister Modi flying in Adani’s plane, and of Adani travelling in the PM’s delegations to foreign countries. He said nothing of what he said was untrue, it was all factual.
Rahul concluded by saying that according to the rules of the Lok Sabha, parts of a speech could be removed from the records if something was said without proof or if someone was insulted.
“I did not insult anybody. I used the kindest language, the most polite language, and everything I said was based on proof,” said Rahul.
“I have written a letter to the Speaker with every single point that they have removed and the supporting proof,” said the Wayanad MP. “But I do not expect my words to go back on the record.”
