Rajasthan, Oct 8: The BJP on Friday mocked the Congress after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot showered praise on Gautam Adani, the industrialist Rahul Gandhi often picks to allege that PM Narendra Modi helps only big businessmen.
Gehlot, however, hit back saying the Congress has never been against industries. Adani, chairman of the Adani Group and currently the richest Asian, was seated next to Gehlot at ‘Invest Rajasthan’, an event organised by the Congress-run state to attract investment.
Adani announced a whopping Rs 65,000 crore investment in the state over the next five to seven years – setting up a 10,000 MW solar power facility, expanding cement plant, and upgrading the Jaipur International Airport.
During his address, Gehlot addressed the business tycoon as “Gautam bhai” and congratulated him for becoming the world’s second richest person. Taking a dig at the Congress, BJP state president Satish Poonia shared a 47-second clip showing Rahul Gandhi attacking Adani and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament.
He said while Rahul Gandhi accuses the Centre of favouring Adani and Ambani, the chief minister of Rajasthan favours the two business tycoons. The one who was being opposed until yesterday has come close today, with hopes of cash inflow, they changed their view, he said.
BJP MLA and former minister Vasudev Devnani shared a picture of Gehlot seated with Adani at the summit, saying it was a “tight slap” on the face of the Congress high command.
Responding to the criticism, Gehlot asked whether businessmen who joined a political party did not invest in states ruled by other parties. “Many businessmen join a party, so do not they invest in other states? Those who are raising questions should say this,” Gehlot said in a statement.
He said more than 3,000 investors having different ideologies participated in ‘Invest Rajasthan’ and were overwhelmed with the respect they received.
The chief minister said the state government received investment proposals worth around Rs 11 lakh crore and this showed that Rajasthan’s traditional image had changed to that of an investment-friendly destination.
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