Evening Picture: In ‘Modinomics’ vs ‘Modani’, BJP focuses on economy, Oppn on Adani controversy

“The aim of the ongoing meeting of the ghamandiya gathbandhan (arrogant alliance) in Mumbai is nothing but to discuss the ways to ensure the ‘bright future’ for their kids. CMP means Common Maximum Parivarvaad,” Patra said.

It wasn’t Patra’s only riff on the CMP acronym. Referring to it as “corruption’s maximum profit,” he claimed that the alliance’s members together represented “scams worth over Rs 20 lakh crore.”

The aim of the ongoing meeting of the Ghamandiya Gathbandhan in Mumbai is nothing but to discuss about the ways to ensure the ‘bright future’ for their kids.

CMP means Common Maximum Parivarvaad!

– Dr. @sambitswaraj

Watch full video: https://t.co/qczR0F2A6C pic.twitter.com/mzWaynZDF7

— BJP (@BJP4India) August 31, 2023

BJP spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam, in a press conference, said India is the world’s fastest-growing economy, thanks to “Modinomics”. “The GDP data for the first quarter is going to come today. I don’t know what the figure will be, but the speed of growth indicates that it will be around 8 per cent,” said Islam.

आज दुनिया के किसी कोने में चले जाइए…हर जगह भारत की चर्चा है। चंद्रयान-3 की सेफ लैंडिंग हो या फिर भारत की तेजी से बढ़ती अर्थव्यवस्था…पूरी दुनिया में भारत की तारीफ हो रही है।

सैयद @syedzafarBJP

पूरा वीडियो देखें: https://t.co/YF4r4CeYSF pic.twitter.com/j45lAboz7d

— BJP (@BJP4India) August 31, 2023

In a series of posts on X, the BJP compared its record to the UPA regime using clippings of news articles. Under the NDA, it claimed, India was a “bright spot” in the global economy and an “attractive destination” for investors, while the UPA oversaw economic slowdowns, unemployment and corruption.

Economy as a shattered mess under the UPA versus economy as a bright and attractive spot under the NDA!

फर्क साफ है! pic.twitter.com/x7mjr5FbNH

— BJP (@BJP4India) August 31, 2023

Scam after scam under the UPA versus development and transformation under the NDA!

फर्क साफ है! pic.twitter.com/Jijdg342DU

— BJP (@BJP4India) August 31, 2023

Rahul Gandhi and the Congress did not hold back in response, raising the issue of financial irregularities in the Adani Group and questioning Modi’s proximity to Gautam Adani. In a report published on Thursday, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, a global network of journalists, made fresh allegations of stock manipulation against the Adani Group.

“Despite the Modi government’s best efforts, the truth will not stay suppressed forever. However, the full story about the flow of benami funds into the Adani Group, how foreign citizens came to play a role in critical national infrastructure and how PM (Narendra) Modi ‘violated rules, regulations and norms to enrich his close friends’ can only be revealed by a joint parliamentary committee,” Rahul Gandhi said at a press conference in Mumbai after the INDIA alliance’s meeting.

Why is this one gentleman who is close to the PM of India allowed to move a billion dollars to pump up his company’s share price and use that money to capture Indian assets? Why is he being given a free ride?

Why is the PM not forcing an investigation?

At the very least, a JPC… pic.twitter.com/EV4EVczQqR

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 31, 2023

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, added that the government announced a special session of the Parliament next month as a diversionary tactic to draw attention away from the “Modani” issue and the INDIA alliance’s Mumbai meet.

Managing the News Cycle, Modi style.

1. News today has been dominated by latest revelations on the Modani-scam.

2. Tomorrow the ever-growing INDIA parties meet in Mumbai.

How to counter?

Announce a 5-day special session of Parliament when Monsoon session has just ended 3…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 31, 2023

Several other Opposition parties targeted the BJP over the Adani stock manipulation controversy, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) calling for the Supreme Court’s intervention and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) demanding a response from the government on the new allegations. The Trinamool Congress, too, pointed out the prime minister’s alleged proximity to Adani, claiming “bohot yaarana lagta hai” in a reference to a dialogue from ‘Sholay’.

‼️ Gauatam Adani के भाई Vinod Adani ने Chang Chung–Ling और Nasser Ali के साथ मिलकर आर्थिक भ्रष्टाचार किया, सभी कागज़ी प्रमाण पत्रकारों की Report में

‼️हजारों करोड़ के भ्रष्टाचार की जानकारी 2014 से पहले से SEBI को है, लेकिन Supreme Court की आंखों में धूल झोंक रहा है

🙏 माननीय… pic.twitter.com/4LunlXed4N

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) August 31, 2023

Modi Sarkar Should Come Out and Explain. Why Are They So Silent? #Adani #AdaniScam2023 #AdaniGroup pic.twitter.com/m0DoeY4L4A

— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) August 31, 2023

Scamming the nation ‘one deal’ at a time.

Explosive facts below 👇https://t.co/0yFG9qRXJH#Adani #Hindenburg pic.twitter.com/UTIDoWMlNO

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) August 31, 2023

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Elsewhere on social media, though, the Opposition’s focus was squarely on the INDIA alliance Mumbai meet. On X, the Congress shared photos and videos of party leaders, many of whom are former rivals, interacting with each other. In another post, as it attempted to project a united front, the Congress claimed the alliance aimed to “save the country.”

मुंबई में आयोजित INDIA गठबंधन की बैठक में अलग-अलग दल के प्रतिनिधियों का स्वागत किया गया।

इनमें सपा महासचिव @proframgopalya1 जी, CPI (M) महासचिव @SitaramYechury जी, RLD राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष @jayantrld जी और UBT नेता @AUThackeray जी शामिल रहे।

ये बैठक देश के लोकतंत्र और संविधान को… pic.twitter.com/ZYcnJuTbYK

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 31, 2023