— Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi, May 9: In a bold move, the Congress party has thrown down the gauntlet, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to follow through on his own allegations against Ambani and Adani, suggesting they were involved in the clandestine transfer of black money in cash-filled vans. Party spokesperson Surpiya Shrinate seized the moment during a press briefing at the AICC headquarters, calling upon Modi to utilize investigative agencies such as the CBI and the ED to thoroughly examine these accusations.
Shrinate’s pointed remarks caught Modi off guard, highlighting that the Prime Minister himself had brought these allegations to light. She wryly noted that never before had the country’s leader appeared so vulnerable and powerless, resorting to public disclosures about corruption while implicating his own associates.
In a veiled jab at Modi, Shrinate underscored that senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been voicing similar concerns for the past decade. She emphasized that Modi’s recent admission had finally acknowledged the issue and urged him to deploy agencies like the CBI, the ED, and the Income Tax department to pursue these allegations.
The Congress spokesperson asserted that Modi’s sensational disclosures had sent shockwaves through the BJP leadership, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah. She remarked that they were now left questioning their own positions, given Modi’s willingness to distance himself from his close allies. Shrinate added that even officials from various state cadres serving on deputation at the central government were seeking repatriation to their original postings. She suggested that the signs were clear: neither the BJP was poised to retain power at the center come June 4, nor was Modi set for another term as Prime Minister. She argued that this had become evident during the initial phases of polling.
Contrary to Prime Minister Modi’s assertion of “sudden silence” on May 8, Rahul Gandhi had been vocally critical of billionaire magnates Ambani and Adani in speeches delivered from May 3 to May 7—five days preceding Modi’s remarks.
