Congress hands mining license to the Adani group after claiming there is a BJP Adani nexus

With the run up to the 2019 general elections pre poll promises by the parties have taken the spot light. Congress with its bag of pre poll promises has come out with a scheme which assures a minimum basic Income to every citizen. Though highly conflicting with the financial stability of the Indian economy, populist pre poll promises like these are sure to influence voters, however serious doubts over parties walking their talk still remain.

In Chhattisgarh a similar pattern has emerged, Congress before going into the assembly elections in 2018, had been openly criticizing mining of coal through mine developer and operator (MDO) model and had claimed it to be a big source of corruption. Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi had been touring rural areas in the state and had attacked BJP over issues in Mining and corruption. The Congress Vice President launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said his model of development was to benefit only two or three industrialists. Without naming any industrialists, he said both the governments at the centre and state had been working for their interest. He also took a dig on the removal of a clause that ensured the return of land if the project was not expedited in five years. 

According to a BBC report, Congress after forming the government in the state has decided to follow up with the MDO model, giving the contract to the Adani Group, which has been indirectly attacked by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress several times. The Chhattisgarh power generation company has selected the Adani group to develop and operate two coal blocks the Gidhmuri and Paturia coal blocks in the Korba district. These lie in the same area that Rahul Gandhi visited in 2015. 

Shailendra Kumar Shukla, Chairman of the Chhattisgarh Power Generation Company Limited was quoted in the BBC as saying: “Bids had been invited [for the selection of the mine developer and operator for Gidhmuri and Paturia blocks] and the process stands completed. Adani and its allied companies were found suitable for this.”

Congress in the past has also been criticized for their incoherent stance, pre and post the elections. The Congress made a promise of waiving farmer loans while going into the assembly elections in 2018 in multiple states; however inefficiencies in implementation have clouded the scheme with the image of a populist election stunt.

Congress has been infamous for their flexible stand on various issues based on its political requirements. The Congress had been attacking the Modi government over the Rafael offset contracts given to the Anil Ambani led group . Not surprisingly Congress itself had awarded projects worth over 1,00,000 Cr to Anil Ambani’s businesses in the last seven Years of the UPA Government.

With Congress running out of genuine election points, desperation has led the grand old party to take an agenda driven stand on various critical issues. Intentional use of such subversion tactics is surely a new low in Indian politics. Politicians not walking the talk after the elections are not alien to the Indian democracy, however blatant and outright hypocrisy by political parties is sure to damage the sanctity of our electoral processes.