FM slams Rahul for "baseless allegations" against PM on Adani issue, calls him "repeat offender"
Bengaluru, Apr 6: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday came down heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for making baseless allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Adani issue, and described him as a "repeat offender" in levelling such charges.
Responding to questions at a press conference at the State BJP office here, she said, "If Rahul Gandhi really thinks that Adani has been given all these things (undue favours), it is not true."
"Let me also say he's now becoming a repeat offender in terms of putting baseless allegations against the Prime Minister. We saw that prior to the 2019 elections, now he's doing it again. He doesn't seem to learn any lessons from all these false allegations that he wants to level against the Prime Minister."
Sitharaman also sought to know why Gandhi did not raise a voice against the "undue favour" to Adani by the Kerala government and a solar power project to the company in Rajasthan.
"It was the (then) Congress government (in Kerala), which gave on a platter Vizhinjam Port to Adani. It was not given on the basis of any tender. Now this is not this (Congress) government, but the CPM government. But, what stopped him from asking and demanding that Kerala cancel that order?" Sitharaman asked.
The "entire solar power project" has been given to Adani in (Congress-ruled) Rajasthan. "What stops Rahul Gandhi?"
Noting that Adani got projects in Chhattisgarh also, she said crony capitalism was happening in Congress governments.
"I challenged him (Rahul Gandhi) to tear the orders and cancel those orders. Why doesn't he tear off that Rajasthan agreement with Adani saying no solar power here. No way, you are Modi-Adani Bhai Bhai. We don't want Modi Adani Bhai Bhai' in Rajasthan," the Finance Minister said.
"If there is any crony capitalism is happening, it is happening in Congress-led governments and Rahul Gandhi did not speak a word about it", she alleged.
Sitharaman also recalled that Gandhi had to give written apologies twice.
"In 2019, while making allegations during Rafale aircraft procurement, you were giving such statements against the Prime Minister, that you had to seek an apology in the Supreme Court," the Minister pointed out.
"Today he is saying I am Gandhi, not Savarkar' . Does he remember the two apologies he gave earlier?" she asked.
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Speeding car kills lawyer, injures two others in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): A High Court lawyer was killed after being allegedly hit by a speeding car, which later rammed into a two-wheeler, injuring two others here, police said.
The deceased was identified as N Ramachandra Reddy (61). The injured were identified as Bharath (19), who was riding the scooter, and Swati (23), the pillion rider, police said.
The accident occurred at around 7.28 pm on December 17 and was captured on a CCTV camera, police said.
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According to police, Reddy was crossing the road near RMV Club in Dollars Colony in the Sanjaynagar area when a car, allegedly being driven at high speed in a rash and negligent manner, hit him.
The vehicle then moved forward and collided with a scooter, knocking down Bharath and Swati and causing injuries to them.
The driver subsequently lost control of the vehicle and rammed into two parked cars, damaging all the vehicles involved, a senior police officer said.
Reddy was rushed to M S Ramaiah Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The two scooter riders were taken to Shirdi Sai Hospital for treatment.
The driver of the car, later identified as Shishir Patil (18), also sustained minor injuries and later appeared before the police. He is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital, police said.
Preliminary investigation suggests the accident occurred due to rash and negligent driving, police added.
A case has been registered under Sections 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 125(2) (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Further investigation is underway.
