Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for dismissing the Adani Group controversy as an “individual issue” during a recent press interaction in the United States. Addressing an event in Lalganj, Uttar Pradesh, on the second day of his visit to his Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency, Gandhi asserted that the issue was not a personal matter but one that concerns the entire nation.
“Narendra Modi ji, this is not a personal matter. It is a matter of the country,” said Rahul Gandhi.
PM Modi’s Statement on Adani Controversy in the US
During his Washington DC visit last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was asked about the bribery charges against the Adani Group, which were filed by the US Department of Justice. Responding to the question, Modi stated that such “individual issues” are not discussed between world leaders when they meet.
“Firstly, India is a democratic country, and our cultural philosophy is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The world is one family). Every Indian is my own,” PM Modi remarked.
He further clarified, “Two prominent leaders of two countries never discuss such individual issues.”
Interestingly, US President Donald Trump did not mention the case during his interaction with the press at the White House briefing.
What Are the Allegations Against Gautam Adani?
Last year, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) under then-President Joe Biden accused Adani Group of paying over $250 million (approximately ₹2,100 crore) in bribes to Indian officials in exchange for favorable terms on solar power contracts.
The allegations claimed that the bribes were concealed from US banks and investors, from whom the Adani Group raised billions of dollars. The DOJ cited the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which allows the US government to investigate foreign corruption if it involves American investors or financial institutions.
However, the Adani Group has denied all allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated.
Trump Administration’s Move to Halt Investigation
In a significant development, US President Donald Trump earlier this month signed an executive order directing the Department of Justice to pause the enforcement of the nearly 50-year-old Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)—the law used to launch the bribery probe against the Adani Group.
This move has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders in India, who claim that the case is being politically shielded by the Modi government in collaboration with the Trump administration.
