Aam Aadmi Party came down heavily on the Modi Government after exposing the corruption of Adani in providing electricity to the people of Gujarat, the PM’s home state and BJP’s bastion. Senior AAP Leader and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sanjay Singh took BJP and investigation agencies to task for their gross and visible inaction over this loot which cost ₹3,800 crore.
He said, “Adani looted the people of Gujarat by selling electricity at inflated prices; why is the Modi Government and ED-CBI silent over this? As the CM of Gujarat, Modi entered into an agreement with Adani to provide electricity at ₹2.25 per unit for 25 years; however, it is being sold at ₹8.20 per unit. AAP Governments in Delhi and Punjab are providing electricity free-of-cost because we do not indulge in corruption. Adani backtracked from his promise in 2018 to enter into a new agreement to sell electricity at higher prices and made ₹3800 crores between 2018 and 2023 out of it.
“As per the agreement, Adani was required to purchase the coal at the rates determined by Argus Global; however, the Gujarat Government never verified it. What was the need for Adani to purchase coal from foreign countries when India was in surplus in coal production? Only when the Adani matter reached the Supreme Court, the Gujarat Government wrote a letter on May 15th, 2023 to ask about the details of the coal purchase. Now even Modi’s double-engine government is saying that Adani has looted ₹3800 crores from the people of Gujarat, yet ED-CBI is in deep sleep. BJP should tell under whose pressure the agreement changed and why did not the Gujarat Government verify the coal prices in the international market. When Modi’s friend indulges in corruption, investigation agencies do not take any action; however, we will continue to raise our voices until our complaint is heard,” he continued.
Senior AAP Leader Reena Gupta was also present at the Press Conference.
Senior AAP Leader and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sanjay Singh said, “An incident has come to the fore which has brought shame to the entire Gujarat. I don’t know if the Prime Minister of the country feels ashamed. People of Gujarat who showed their trust in the PM, feel betrayed. They gave so much love by giving him votes in bulk and made him CM multiple times. They made him the PM of the country by riding on their shoulders. This is an incident of corruption and looting against the people of Gujarat. They have been conned by none other than the closest friend of the Prime Minister, Adani, and his company.”
He continued, “When PM Modi was the CM of Gujarat in 2007, he formed an agreement with Adani regarding the supply of electricity to the people of Gujarat. The rate which was fixed was ₹2.25 per unit for 25 years. It is written in a duly signed Power Purchase Agreement. But suddenly, Adani backtracked on his promise in 2018 and signed a new agreement by saying that he had to purchase coal at a higher price because he had to import it from other countries. He asked for a higher rate because of the increased cost of production. The Gujarat Government did not dare to question him because he was Modi’s friend. However, they wrote certain things in the agreement.”
He added, “There is a company named Argus Global which provides information about the coal price in all the countries in the world. First of all, what is the need to buy coal from foreign countries? India itself is a coal-surplus country. As per the previous year’s data, coal production in India has increased by 30%. State Government purchases coal at ₹2000-3000 per tonne. So instead of buying coal from India, he chose to buy it from Indonesia and other countries. However, there was a condition in the agreement that coal price would be determined based on the rate provided by Argus Global company. Afterward, the Government continued to pay Adani since 2018 at the rate told by Adani. They swept ₹13,802 crore out of the pockets of the people of Gujarat, only to put it in Adani’s pocket. This is shocking because the Gujarat Government projected itself to be quite powerful. They boast of their Gujarat Model and yet they agreed to Adani’s rate without any questions. They did not even verify the price based on rates told by Argus Global.”
Shri Sanjay Singh said, “Then came the Hindenburg report which exposed the corruption committed by Adani. The matter went to the Supreme Court and only then the Gujarat Government panicked. They felt that they might be dragged to prison along with Adani. They wrote a letter on May 15th, 2023. They woke up from Kumbhkaran’s sleep and told Adani that he might be Modi’s friend but he might get them in trouble. He did not give proof of the coal he purchased. You quoted a higher price of coal you bought from Indonesia but the reality is that actual prices were much lower. You have lied and tricked us to get higher prices. These are not my words but the Gujarat Government’s that Adani has looted ₹3,802 crores of people of Gujarat. I demand that this money should be retrieved and returned. Where is ED-CBI sleeping? Where are the Income Tax Department and other investigation agencies of the Government?
He asserted, “It takes them no time to reach Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu and conduct raids in Delhi daily. They arrest people, and question CMs of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. However, they cannot see the corruption that was exposed through the Hindenburg report. Now, Modi’s own double-engine Government in Gujarat is saying that Adani has looted ₹3,802 from the people of Gujarat. How did this corruption and money laundering take place? ED-CBI should arrest these people immediately. Actions should be taken against All those officials and ministers of Gujarat who were accomplices in this scam since 2018 by signing and making payments on these fake bills. If the matter had not reached the Supreme Court after the Hindenburg report, I am certain that the Gujarat Government would never have written this letter.”
He questioned, “I have three questions. First, when the 2007 agreement stated that the price would remain constant for 25 years at ₹2.25 per unit, then under whose pressure were the rates increased in 2018? Second, when Adani used to submit bills at inflated prices, why did not the ministers and officials of the Gujarat Government investigate the same? Even a student of Class 10th can check the price of coal in India, Indonesia, and Australia on the internet in no time. Gujarat Government is so powerful and yet they agreed to pay the amount quoted by Adani. What kind of corruption or dacoity is this? My third question is why was the Gujarat Government silent till now? ED-CBI and Income Tax Department who are in a race to implicate people in fake cases, why are they sitting with a blindfold over such matters and pretending to be Dhritrashtra?”
Senior AAP Leader and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sanjay Singh concluded, “This is the same Adani which was selling electricity to other states at a higher price when there was an electricity crisis in Gujarat. This was a violation of the agreement and yet no action was taken. He committed a similar corruption in Tamil Nadu.”
Senior AAP Leader Reena Gupta said, “It seems that PM Modi has given a license to Adani to loot as much money as he wants from whatever part of the country he wants to. It is because he is his best friend. A CAG report of 2017 states that he did something similar in Tamil Nadu. The CAG identified that out of Adani’s 297 imports, the certificate of origin of the country was not affixed in 177 of them. It may also happen that Adani sent coal from mines in other states to Tamil Nadu and said that it was bought from abroad. There is no bill or certificate and Adani has PM Modi’s blessings. Due to this, the Gujarat Government continued to pay whatever money Adani asked for. In Gujarat, electricity is being given at Rs.8 per unit. There are AAP governments in Delhi and Punjab. They give 200 units of free electricity in Delhi and 300 units in Punjab. Like Delhi-Punjab, free electricity can be supplied in the whole country. But PM Modi only wants to fill the pocket of his friends. As a result, electricity is getting expensive in the whole country. This matter should be investigated by ED-CBI.”
