Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma questioned Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi’s silence over Nationalist Congress (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s
meetings with businessman Gautam Adani.
Calling it “politics of convenience”, CM Himanta said, “His
(Rahul’s) friend Sharad Pawar was seen at Adani’s house. Now, will he speak
against Sharad Pawar? You can judge the double standard of Rahul Gandhi. If I
would have been seen with Adani, today, he would have finished me, right and
left. But when Sharad Pawar is seen with Adani, why is he not making any
comment?”
“Imagine a central minister of NDA Government going to inaugurate
something of Adani today… what would have been the Congress’ reaction? Why is
the Congress party silent when Sharad Pawar is seen with Adani repeatedly?”
Sarma added.
Pawar’s NCP is a member of the Opposition’s INDIA alliance, which
has attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over allegations of
financial irregularities against the Adani Group.
On Saturday, Pawar reportedly visited Adani’s office and residence
in Ahmedabad. In April, earlier this year, the businessman had visited Pawar’s
residence Silver Oak in south Mumbai.
The Assam CM also hit out at Gandhi for speaking about businessmen
in a conclave, calling the latter “desperate”.
“He decided to speak about businessman in a conclave, instead of
poverty and his so-called idea of Bharat. You can imagine how desperate he is,”
CM Sarma said.
Rahul, while speaking at a conclave organised by the Pratidin Media
Network of Assam, had stated, “Please go and ask any businessman in India what
happens to them if they support an Opposition party.”
He added that the Opposition was facing a “financial attack, a
media attack”. “We are not fighting now a political party, we are fighting the
Indian State and we are fighting to defend the idea of Bharat. And that is why
we have given our name INDIA,” he said.
