PM Modi questions Congress' 'silence' on Ambani-Adani; Rahul Gandhi hits back

New Delhi [India], May 8 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a fresh attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, asking why the Congress leader stopped raking up the "Ambani-Adani" issue in his speeches, suggesting that Rahul's overnight silence on industrialists, whom he had criticised for five years, seems suspicious.
In an all-out attack on Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister questioned the party's sudden silence on Adani and Ambani and whether they received money from the industrialists.
Addressing a public meeting in Telangana's Karimpur, PM Modi said that for years the Congress' 'Shehzada' used to speak of '5 industrialists' and then he started to speak only of "Ambani and Adani" and now they are silent on them.
"For five years, the Congress' Shehzada kept repeating one thing. But when the Rafale issue faded, he switched to targeting five industrialists, especially Ambani and Adani.
However, once the elections were announced, he stopped attacking them. Today, I ask from Telangana: How much money did they take from Ambani and Adani? What changed overnight? Zaroor daal mein kuch kaala hai. You abused them for five years and then it stopped overnight?" the PM said.
"Why has Shahzade Ji stopped talking of Ambani and Adani in this election all of a sudden? People are smelling a secret deal," said PM Modi.
The Prime Minister's offensive assumes significance as the Congress has accused the PM Modi-Centre of favouring prominent businessmen.
Meanwhile, the Congress leader also fired back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's criticism regarding the "silence" surrounding Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, asking the Centre to send the CBI and ED to investigate the matter at the homes of the two business tycoons.
Taking a jibe at PM Modi, Wayanad MP, Rahul Gandhi asked if it is his "personal experience" of receiving money in a 'tempo'.
"Namaskar, Modi ji! Did you get scared? Usually, you talk about Ambani ji, and Adani ji only behind closed doors. The first time, you said Ambani-Adani in public. And you even know they give money in a tempo. Is it your personal experience? Do one thing, send CBI-ED to their residence and conduct an enquiry. Don't be scared," Rahul Gandhi said in a video message on Wednesday.
In another attack on Rahul Gandhi and his Congress colleague and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said one 'R' is looting Telangana and passing on the loot to another 'R' in Delhi.
Also coming down heavily on the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS), the previous ruling party in the state, PM Modi said while the BJP pursues a 'nation first' policy, the Congress and the BRS work to advance the principle of 'family first'.
PM Modi said that these (dynastic) parties run on the principle of 'by the family, for the family, of the family'.
He said that the only 'glue' that binds Congress and BRS together is corruption and appeasement politics is in their DNA.
"It is their only agenda. The Congress and the BRS follow the 'zero governance model'. There is a desperate need to save Telangana from the corrupt clutches of such parties," he added.
The Prime Minister also reacted to Congress leader Sam Pitroda's "racist remarks" that stoked a massive row and said that the people of the country will not tolerate insults based on the colour of their skin.
Addressing a rally in Warangal, PM Modi demanded an answer from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying 'Shehzade aapko jawaab dena padega'. My country will not tolerate the disrespect of my countrymen based on their skin colour and Modi will never tolerate this."
PM Modi said, "I was thinking a lot that (President) Droupadi Murmu who has a good reputation and is the daughter of an Adivasi family, then why is Congress trying so hard to defeat her but today I got to know the reason. I got to know that there is an uncle in America who is the philosophical guide of 'Shehzada' and just like the third umpire in cricket this 'Shehzada' takes advice from the third umpire."
This comes after former Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda ignited a firestorm while speaking on the diversity of India referring to how people in the South "look like Africans and those in the East look like Arabs and those in the East look like Chinese."
Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh posted on X to say that the analogies drawn by Pitroda in a podcast to illustrate India's diversity are "most unfortunate and unacceptable."
"The Indian National Congress completely dissociates itself from these analogies," he said.
While addressing a public meeting in Andhra Pradesh's Rajampet, Prime Minister Modi launched a blistering attack on the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister accused the YSRCP government of "betraying" the people over development and running a 'Gunda Raaj' in Andhra Pradesh.
He said that the YSRCP prioritised the development of the mafia over the underprivileged people of the state.
"YSRCP ke mantri kaise yaha 'Gundgardi' karte hai, yaha 'Rowdy Raaj' chalate hai vo sabke samne hai," said the Prime Minister.
PM Modi further said that the YSRCP government in the state is nearing an end and that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance will treat the mafias in the state permanently.
Reiterating his party's slogan of "double engine ki sarkar (double-engine government)", PM Modi said that the development works that had been long pending here under the governance of the YSRCP would be fulfilled by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi held a roadshow in Andhra Pradesh's Vijaywada on Wednesday, along with Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan.
PM Modi was seated on a specially designed vehicle along with the two leaders.
He was seen waving to the people who had gathered in huge numbers. The flags of BJP along with that of TDP and Jana Sena party were being carried out in the roadshow.
Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party is in alliance with TDP and the Jana Sena Party in Andhra Pradesh.
Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state are scheduled for May 13 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4.
As part of a seat-sharing deal among NDA partners, the TDP was allocated 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha constituencies, while the BJP will contest from six Lok Sabha and 10 Assembly seats. Janasena will contest two Lok Sabha and 21 Assembly seats.