Be it Adani, Ambani or Jay Shah, we will welcome all, says Ashok Gehlot,indiabusinessport,com

Gehlot’s remarks came a day after the BJP mocked the Congress after the Rajasthan CM praised Gautam Adani at the Invest Rajasthan Summit 2022.

“Be it Adani, Ambani or Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah, we will welcome all. We want employment and investment,” Gehlot told reporters after addressing the MSME Conclave at the summit.

Calling the BJP mocking his praise for Adani “unfortunate”, Gehlot said, “I condemn this. Making this an issue will cost the BJP dearly.”

Adani announced a whopping ₹65,000 crore investment in the state over the next five to seven years – setting up a 10,000 MW solar power facility, expanding cement plant, and upgrading the Jaipur International Airport.

During his address, Gehlot addressed the business tycoon as “Gautam bhai” and congratulated him for becoming the world’s second richest person.

A day after Gautam Adani pledged huge investments in Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress government in the state has not given any preferential treatment to the industrialist and asserted that he is not against corporates but monopolies.

Asked about Adani’s presence at a Rajasthan government event and the industrialist pledging investments in the state, the former Congress chief said, “Mr Adani has committed ₹60,000 crore to Rajasthan. No chief minister can refuse such an offer. In fact, it would not be correct for a chief minister to refuse such an offer.”

“My contention is in the use of political power to help certain chosen businesses. My opposition is to two-three or four large businesses being helped politically to monopolize every single business in this country,” he said.

“I am in no way against corporates, I am in no way against business but I am against the complete monopolization of Indian business because that weakens the country, he added.

On Friday, the BJP mocked the Congress after Gehlot lavished praise on Adani, the industrialist Rahul Gandhi often highlights to allege that Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped only big businessmen.

State BJP president Satish Poonia shared a 47-second clip showing Rahul Gandhi attacking Adani and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament.

He said while Rahul Gandhi accuses the Centre of favouring Adani and Ambani, the chief minister of Rajasthan favours the two business tycoons.

“Kal tak jo tha virodi, aaj bana manmeet, dhan ki jagi ummeed to badli apni reet,” (the one who was being opposed until yesterday has come close today, with hopes of cash inflow, they changed their view).

After facing criticism, Gehlot had also asked whether businessmen who joined a political party did not invest in states ruled by other parties.

“Many businessmen join a party, so do not they invest in other states? Those who are raising questions should say this,” Gehlot had said in a statement.

He said more than 3,000 investors having different ideologies participated in ‘Invest Rajasthan’ and were overwhelmed with the respect they received.

The chief minister said the state government received investment proposals worth around ₹11 lakh crore and this showed that Rajasthan’s traditional image had changed to that of an investment-friendly destination.

“Big investments are coming to the state but I am very sorry that the BJP and a section of the media are engaged in negative publicity of this event. I have said in the press conference about Invest Rajasthan that the Congress party has never been against industries,” he said.

Gehlot said the party is opposed to policies tailored to benefit a particular person by grabbing others’ rights.

“I do not understand why the BJP opposed this programme. You oppose Ashok Gehlot, oppose the Congress, but why are you opposing the opportunities coming in the way of our youth? Is the Rajasthan BJP so opposed to us that it criticises the work being done for the bright future of the state?” he said.

(With inputs from PTI)