Adani and Ambani in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections
In the informal political language of the 1970s and 1980s, it used to be Tatas and Birlas. Adani and Ambani are now engaged in a contentious Lok Sabha election campaign. The accusation of crony capitalism has been a persistent aspect of the Congress’s criticism of the administration for the past ten years, thus it should come as no surprise that Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani are making headlines once more. But wait, this time it was none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi who brought them up. That isn’t possible.
Prime Minister Modi’s Accusations
It is likely that he was referring to their substantial financial contributions to important digital and physical infrastructure initiatives. No, Modi was accusing Ambani-Adani of supplying the Congress with illicit funds in large amounts. This seems like a prank for April Fool’s Day. Oh, you mean May 8th.
In the informal political language of the 1970s and 1980s, it used to be Tatas and Birlas. Adani and Ambani are now engaged in a contentious Lok Sabha election campaign. Over thirty years after economic liberalization, reforms, and industrial growth, Indian politicians are reluctant to celebrate the wealth producers because they still see them as easy targets for abuse.
The Print’s Newsmaker of the Week: Adani-Ambani
For this reason, ThePrint’s Newsmaker of the Week is the Adani-Ambani team, who will be involved in the 2024 election campaign. First, let’s find out what the Prime Minister actually stated. At a Telangana election rally, Modi asked Congressman Rahul Gandhi why he had stopped talking about Ambani and Adani after mentioning them frequently, almost like a chant.
Modi stated in Hindi, “You must have noticed that the Congress Shehzada [Rahul Gandhi] starts chanting the same thing from sunrise for the last five years.” “For the last five years, since his Rafale problem was put on hold, he has been screaming a new mantra, according to which there are five businesspeople who are supposedly the only ones benefiting from the Modi government. He then made his way to Ambani-Adani gradually. However, he has ceased mistreating Ambani-Adani since the elections were declared.
Congress Responds to Modi’s Claims
Leader of the Congress, Jairam Ramesh, said on X (previously Twitter) that “since April 3, 2024, @RahulGandhi has mentioned Adani 103 times and Ambani more than 30 times in his speeches.” However, the PM’s following statement was what really got people talking.
Modi said, “Shehzada should disclose the amount of money he has received from Ambani and Adani in this election.” “How many bags of illicit funds has he been given? Has Congress received money in tempos? What is the agreement that was reached? You have ceased mistreating Ambani-Adani overnight. This situation clearly seems suspicious. You must inform the country.”
Rahul Gandhi’s Response
The serious queries started at this point. Rahul Gandhi encouraged the PM to act on his words in a video that he uploaded on X shortly after the PM made his remarks. Gandhi remarked, “You (Modi) mentioned Ambani-Adani for the first time.” Additionally, you are aware that they transfer money in intervals. Does this relate to your own experience? Send the ED and CBI to them and conduct a thorough investigation. Don’t be afraid and act as quickly as possible.
The “Vulnerability” of Modi
Using social media, a few Congressmen emphasized what they perceived to be Modi’s vulnerability. “Times are transforming. Friends are no longer friends,” tweeted Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress. “Today, following the conclusion of three election rounds, the prime minister began criticizing his own allies. This demonstrates how Modi ji’s chair is trembling. This represents the actual outcome trend.”
Others joined Gandhi in calling for an investigation of the PM’s claims by the CBI or ED. P Chidambaram wrote on X on Friday, stating that Gandhi’s request for an investigation was “absolutely justified” and that “the Honorable Prime Minister had made a very serious allegation: that two prominent industrialists have tempo-filling quantities of cash and they were delivered to the Congress party.” “Considering that the Hon’ble Prime Minister made this allegation, it must be taken very seriously.”
Continued Pursuit by Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi himself continued to pursue the matter, raising it throughout his Uttar Pradesh campaign. “Narendra Modi never mentioned the names of Adani and Ambani in ten years,” he declared on Friday in Kannauj. “In ten years, he presented hundreds of speeches, but he never took their names. He steals the names of those he believes can help the terrified person. Narendra Modi adopted their names for this reason.”
Following his remarks about Adani and Ambani, CPI Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam wrote to the Prime Minister, requesting that he order the ED, CBI, and Income Tax authorities to “thoroughly probe the wrongdoings by Adani and Ambani and unearth the hoards of black money from them, as you claimed is in their possession.” In the meantime, things became a little more official.
Thomas Isaac’s Statements on Cronyism and Inequality
Thomas Isaac used X to speak on behalf of the CPI(M), claiming that PM Modi had “unwittingly” returned the topics of cronyism, inequality, and the role of black money to the forefront. Following his remarks about Adani and Ambani, CPI Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam wrote to the Prime Minister, requesting that he order the ED, CBI, and Income Tax authorities to “thoroughly probe the wrongdoings by Adani and Ambani and unearth the hoards of black money from them, as you claimed is in their possession.” In the meantime, things became a little more official.
Investment MoUs and Political Implications
Thomas Isaac used X to speak on behalf of the CPI(M), claiming that PM Modi had “unwittingly” returned the topics of cronyism, inequality, and the role of black money to the front. The stimulus under consideration? The announcement in January 2024 that the Adani group has inked memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for investments totaling Rs 12,400 crore in Telangana, a state governed by the Congress party. Commentators surmised that this was undoubtedly a message to the two major business houses to stop. Invest, but only in states under BJP administration.
BJP Supporters’ Reactions
Self-described BJP supporters also expressed their dissatisfaction with Modi’s address on social media, stating that they “truly feel the quality of [the] Prime Minister’s election campaign needs to be better.” Throughout all of this, the BJP’s online followers made it apparent what they thought of the PM’s remarks by being conspicuously silent and absent.
ALSO READ: Three independent MLAs join Congress, losing the Haryana government its majority.
