The BJP has on Thursday said that the states implicated in the U.S. indictment alleging bribes from the Adani Group for solar power contracts were governed by opposition parties. At a press conference on Thursday, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra criticized Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for attempting to tarnish the Prime Minister’s reputation.
Opposition States Named In Bribery Charge
This followed Gandhi’s accusations linking Narendra Modi to alleged corrupt practices involving Gautam Adani. Patra highlighted that none of the states named in the U.S. indictment—Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Andhra Pradesh—were under BJP rule at the time. He pointed out that Congress and its allies were in power in Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, while other states were governed by regional or opposition parties. The indictment, issued by U.S. prosecutors, alleges that the Adani Group paid $265 million in bribes to secure contracts with state electricity distribution companies between 2021 and 2023.
Amit Malviya questions the timing of Adani indictment
The BJP also criticized Congress’s response to the allegations. BJP IT department head Amit Malviya questioned the timing of the indictment, which coincided with the start of the Indian Parliament’s session and developments in U.S. politics, including Donald Trump’s potential return to the presidency. He accused Congress of aligning with global actors like George Soros to undermine the government, calling the timing suspicious.
Responding to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s claims that the indictment vindicates the party’s demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigation into the so-called “Modani scams,” Malviya stated that Congress should address allegations concerning bribes received by its own allies.
U.S. Adani indictment describes the charges as allegations
He noted that the Congress-led government in Chhattisgarh and the Congress ally DMK in Tamil Nadu were in power during the alleged period, while Odisha and Andhra Pradesh were governed by the BJD and YSR Congress, respectively, which were unaffiliated with the BJP or Congress alliances.
Malviya further emphasized that the U.S. indictment describes the charges as allegations, with defendants presumed innocent until proven guilty. Taking a dig at Ramesh, he urged the Congress leader to review documents thoroughly before making statements. Malviya also argued that just as Indian courts could potentially accuse American firms of unethical practices in Indian markets, the judicial process should be allowed to proceed independently without political interference or premature conclusions.
He cautioned Congress against using such developments for political mileage, urging restraint and respect for the legal process.
