Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Former chief minister of Bihar and RJD president Lalu Prasad on Friday came out strongly in support of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s demand for “immediate arrest” of leading industrialist Gautam Adani.
Addressing the media in Patna, Yadav criticised the alleged irregularities in Adani’s business dealings and questioned the government’s perceived inaction.
Lalu Prasad Yadav was responding to queries from journalists about Rahul Gandhi’s statement given on Thursday, in the backdrop of charges of bribery and fraud against the Adani group in the US.
“Rahul Gandhi is right. Adani should be arrested,” said Prasad, who is an old ally of the Congress and a staunch opponent of the BJP, to which Adani is said to be close, reports PTI.
The RJD president, who incidentally has been convicted in several fodder scam cases and is on bail, was also asked about prospects of the INDIA bloc, of which his party is a part, in Jharkhand, where the counting of votes for assembly polls is scheduled on Saturday.
The ailing septuagenarian replied, “I would like to remain focused on my statement that Adani must be arrested. I am not worried much about a new government (in Jharkhand) where we are already in power.”
Yadav also alleged that Adani’s rise to prominence and wealth was facilitated by undue favoritism from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The country is watching how the wealth of ordinary citizens is being usurped by a few corporate houses,” Yadav remarked. He argued that an independent investigation into the allegations against Adani is necessary and claimed that such probes would reveal corruption and financial misconduct.
Lalu Yadav’s remarks come amid growing opposition criticism of the Modi government for its perceived support of large corporations. The timing of the statement aligns with opposition parties’ broader agenda to highlight issues of inequality, corruption, and misuse of power ahead of upcoming elections.