Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response to a journalist’s question on US’ bribery charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani.
“When you ask [him] in India, he keeps quiet. When you ask [him] in foreign land, he says it is a ‘personal matter’!” Gandhi wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“PM Modi put a curtain on the corrupt practices of Gautam Adani even in the US,” he said. “When filling the pockets of a friend is ‘nation building’ for PM Modi, then bribery and looting of nation’s assets will become ‘personal matter’ only,” he added.
Also read: PM Modi says he didn’t discuss Adani issue with Trump: ‘Personal matters’
What was the question?
PM Modi was asked a question on the bribery charges during a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump. “May I ask whether you discussed at all today the case of Gautam Adani, one of the wealthiest men in Asia who is seen as an ally of PM Modi. PM Modi, have you asked to take action on that case?” the journalist asked.
PM Modi replied to the journalist saying, “Firstly, India is a democratic country, and our culture and our thought philosophy is, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ which basically means that the entire world is a family.”
“And when it comes to such personal matters, two leaders of two countries will not get together on the topic and discuss anything on an individual matter,” he added.
US prosecutors have charged Adani, Asia’s second-richest man, of allegedly helping arrange bribes of more than $250 million to officials in India and defraud US investors. In a five-count indictment unsealed on November 20, prosecutors alleged that Adani was part of a scheme to “corruptly offer, authorize, promise to pay and to pay bribes” of hundreds of millions of dollars to government officials in India. The Adani Group has denied the allegations.