Adani controversy escalates in Kenya, Congress- ‘Modi is working like Adani’s agent’
#News Bureau October 14,2024
The allegations that the opposition has been making regarding the relationship between Prime Minister Modi and Gautam Adani have now been strengthened by a new statement by former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga said that during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi had introduced him to this business house. After this statement, the Congress has accused the Prime Minister of India that Narendra Modi is working as an agent of Adani.
The Congress has shared Odinga’s video statement and tweeted, ‘Former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga says – Narendra Modi told me about his friend Gautam Adani and his business. He gave information about Adani’s different projects. Not only this, Narendra Modi called the Kenyan delegation to Gujarat and explained Adani’s business in detail.’
The party alleged, ‘This disclosure of the former Prime Minister of Kenya is very serious, which shows how Narendra Modi is working as an agent for his friend Adani. Modi markets Adani abroad and gets him deals worth billions. Narendra Modi has a clear funda – I will go abroad, get business for my friend… I will make him very rich.’
The Modi government has been accused of favouring and helping the Adani Group. In the video, Odinga can be heard saying, ‘Prime Minister Modi asked a mission of the Kenya government to come to Gujarat and I got a chance to see the infrastructure projects of these companies, which include ports, power plants, railway lines and developed airstrips donated by the Government of India. I am talking about the companies of the Adani Group.’
Odinga’s statement defending the decision to bring in the Adani Group comes at a time when the group’s proposal to run Kenya’s main airport has been opposed and suspended by a court. The group last week signed a contract to build high-voltage power lines there.
Amid the controversy over awarding of infrastructure projects to the Adani Group in Kenya, the Congress on Monday attacked the Prime Minister over his ties with the group.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said former prime minister Raila Odinga, who is facing criticism for favouring the Adani Group, now admits that he was introduced to the businessman by the then Gujarat chief minister more than a decade ago and had aggressively lobbied for the A Group.
Sharing this video, Pawan Khera has said, ‘This has been the story of India’s foreign policy for the last 10 years – by Adani. For Adani. Of Adani.’
The Modi government has been accused of favouring and helping the Adani Group. Recently, after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina from power in Bangladesh, questions were raised about the future of a power project. A section alleges that it was approved due to pressure from New Delhi.
Earlier, a Sri Lankan government official had claimed before a parliamentary panel that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had told him in November 2021 that Modi was ‘pressuring’ him to hand over the wind power project to the Adani Group. According to a PTI report, the new Sri Lankan government led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake has told the Supreme Court that it will reconsider the approval given by the previous government to the Adani Group for the wind power project.