Another day, another stupefying campaign speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Often accused of favouring industrialists Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, the BJP leader today asked why the Congress party and its leader Rahul Gandhi have “stopped abusing” the two billionaires “overnight”.

The Congress has been targeting Modi over the enormous wealth increase of the two industrialists under his government, and controversies such as the charges of alleged stock price manipulation against Adani, hinting at the alleged proximity between the two and Modi. 

Modi, who was speaking at a Telangana rally today, said in Hindi, “Aapne raaton raat Ambani Adani inko gaali dena band kar diya, zarur daal mein kuch kaala hain (You have stopped abusing Ambani-Adani overnight. There is definitely something suspicious).” 

In a purported attempt to checkmate the Congress, the prime minister said, “For five years they abused Ambani and Adani. But since the day the elections were announced, these people have stopped abusing Ambani and Adani.” 

Modi then asked “them” to “declare” how much money have they “picked up” from Ambani and Adani in the Lok Sabha elections. “How many bags of black money have they been hit by? Or have they received a tempo full of notes? What is the bargain?”       

He said in Hindi: “Ghoshit karein Iss chunav mein Ambani Adani se kitna maal uthaya hain. Kaale dhan ke kitne bore bhar kar ke rupaye maare hain? Ya tempo bhar kar notein Congress ke liye pahunchi hain kya? Kya sauda hua hain?”  

Social media had quite a lot to say. 

It should be noted that Adani and Ambani are, despite what Modi said, still frequently referenced by Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party. Just this week, he said Modi has “22-25 friends like Adani and Ambani and whatever work is being done is for them only”.

Newslaundry earlier reported that firms linked to the Reliance Group were the second largest donor to the BJP at Rs 545 crore, while four companies linked to the Adani Group bought electoral bonds amounting to a total of Rs 55.4 crore from April 2019 to November 2023. Read here and here.

Newslaundry has also reported at length on issues involving Gautam Adani under Modi. Click here to read our work.