No-trust motion to Rafale to Adani-Hindenburg: Rahul Gandhi’s key LS speeches in last 5 yrs

July 2018: No-confidence motion debate

“Heard (TDP MP Jayadev) Galla’s speech very carefully. In your speech, I sensed a certain anxiety, a deep feeling of pain and I want to tell you from here that you are the victim of a 21st-century political weapon. A fantastic weapon and you are not alone. There are many victims like you in the country. The weapon is called the ‘jumla strike’. The symptoms of the ‘jumla strike’ are — great sense of excitement, happiness; there is a feeling of shock; then there are eight-hour-long speeches. Who else are victims? Farmers, youth, Dalits, tribals and women of the country.”

“You said every person will get Rs 15 lakh — this is jumla number. 1. You said two crore youth will get jobs every year, this is jumla No. 2. In 2016-17, all over the country, four lakh people got jobs according to the labour survey. The Indian youth had faith in the PM, as in every speech of his, he said he will give 2 crore jobs to the youth. … China provides 50,000 youth jobs every day. But the PM generates only 400 youth jobs every day. … Wherever you go, you speak about jobs — make pakodas, open shops… who will give jobs? Jobs will be given by small businesses and shops.”

“The PM doesn’t go out … he travels abroad but never leaves his security cordon. He doesn’t speak to small businessmen just to the suit-boot people. What’s in the heart of the poor and marginalised doesn’t reach the PM … You pickpocketed the poor … those who run small businesses and establishments … The PM does things for those who help him. But for the rest of the country and its workforce, the PM doesn’t have a place in his heart.”

“The PM is smiling but there is a touch of nervousness in the gentleman and he is looking away from me. He cannot look into my eyes, I understand that. The prime minister cannot be truthful, I understand.”

“The difference between us and PM and Amit Shah is that we are willing to lose power. The PM and president of BJP can’t afford to lose power, because when they do other processes will start against them. The prime minister and BJP president act out of fear. This is the fear that is translating in India.”

“You might think that I hate PM Modi, BJP, RSS. Instead, I am thankful to them for teaching me the meaning of Congress and Hindustan. You have taught me that no matter what anybody says or hits you, never attack them. You might have anger for me. You might call me names, call me pappu, but I will remove this feeling from you. I will turn you into Congress.”

In context: The BJP-led government sailed through the no-trust vote with 325 votes in its favour and 126 against.

January 2019: Rafale deal

“The Rafale aircraft was chosen after eight years of work by the Air Force. … The Air Force wanted 126 aircraft. Now, the question is: Why was the demand for 126 aircraft changed to 36 aircraft? Did something change with the requirement of national security? Did the Air Force tell the government: ‘No, we do not want 126 planes, we want only 36 planes?’”

“The Cabinet Committee on Security, which is supposed to authorise any deal, gave no authorisation … It has come out in a large number of newspapers but the prime minister does not have a comment. So, my fundamental question to the prime minister is: Did the Air Force change their demand for the number of planes or did you, unilaterally, without asking the Air Force, change this demand?”

“Everybody knows the Rafale aircraft that the UPA government was going to buy was (priced at) Rs 526 crore rupees an aircraft … When Narendra Modi went to France, he met the then-President (Francois) Hollande and a new deal was constructed. The price of the aircraft under the new deal went from Rs 526 crore to Rs 1,600 crore. So, the next question to the prime minister is: Why did the price go from Rs 526 crore to Rs. 1,600 crore? Why did the president of France in a public statement clearly say that the prime minister of India himself said the new price would be valid and the contract would be taken away from HAL and given to (Anil Ambani) on his behest?”

“HAL has been making aircraft for 70 years. … HAL has a tremendous record and HAL is the potential future of the aviation industry of this country. HAL gives jobs to thousands of youngsters and is the bedrock of technology in this country. On the other side is (Anil Ambani), a failed businessman with Rs. 45,000 crore in debt. Ambani opens a company 10 days before he receives a HAL contract … So, the next question is, dear prime minister: Why did you give this contract to your dear friend and cost the exchequer Rs 30,000 crore? Why did you take this contract away?”

In context: Though the deal to buy Rafale aircraft from France had been in the making since 2012 under the UPA government, the terms of the deal were eventually altered to include Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group in the manufacturing process. The Opposition, including Rahul, also raised questions over alleged irregularities in pricing under the new contract. In 2018, the Supreme Court cleared the government of any allegations of corruption and in 2019 it also dismissed all petitions to review the 2018 judgment. In 2021 though, the French government launched a judicial inquiry into the corruption allegations.

December 2021: On farmers’ agitation

“As the whole country knows, in the farmers’ agitation, about 700 farmers were martyred. The prime minister has apologised to the country and the farmers of India and accepted that he made a mistake.”

“On November 30, the agriculture minister was asked how many farmers were killed during the agitation. The agriculture minister said he doesn’t have any data. We found that the government of Punjab has offered Rs 5 lakh in compensation to 400 farmers and 152 of them were given jobs.”

“We have made another list of 70 farmers from Haryana. … The prime minister has asked for forgiveness and the government is saying that no farmers have been killed or the government doesn’t have their names; those names are here. … I hope that the farmers get what is rightfully theirs, since the prime minister apologised, their rights should be fulfilled and they should get compensation and employment.”

In context: Between 2020 and 2021, farmers’ groups across the country launched a movement against three farm Bills passed in Parliament. The government claimed the laws would facilitate agricultural business. But critics said the laws favoured large corporations over small farmers, many of whom feared the minimum support price would be abolished next. After more than a year of protests, with thousands of farmers camped on the borders of Delhi to make their demands to the government, Parliament ultimately repealed all three laws.

February 2022: Motion of Thanks on the President’s address

“What is happening is that a particular organisation has captured the institutional framework of the country and is attacking the voice of the different states. … My fear is that this attack that you are carrying out on the institutional framework of this country is going to get a response from the union of states. … You might not appreciate it but my great-grandfather spent 15 years in jail in building this thing. My grandmother was shot 32 times and my father was blown to bits. So, I understand a little bit about what this country is. … So, I understand what it is and you are fiddling with something very, very dangerous. I am advising you to stop it because if you do not stop, you will create a problem. The problem has already started in the northeast. The problem has already started in Tamil Nadu. It is not visible to you right now.”

“My understanding is that the RSS and the BJP are weakening the foundations of our country. They are weakening the links between our people. … They have further weakened the country by ensuring that not a single Indian youngster can get a job. So, today, unlike a decade ago, fifteen years ago, India is weak. Ask yourselves why you were not able to get a guest on Republic Day. … What is happening is that India today is completely isolated … and surrounded. … Everywhere we are surrounded, and our opponents understand our position.”

In context: In his speech, Rahul Gandhi said the President’s address failed to discuss the challenges facing India and instead was a “long list of things that the government claims to have done”. He added, “It looked to me as if it has been constructed not by a vision of leadership but by a group of bureaucrats who had simply to put something down on paper.”

February 2023: Adani-Hindenburg controversy

“From Tamil Nadu, Kerala to Himachal Pradesh, we have been listening to one name everywhere: Adani. Across the entire country, it’s just Adani, Adani, Adani. … Adani never fails in any business he ventures into — solar energy, wind energy. During my yatra, people asked me how Adani attained such success in so many sectors, what is his relationship with the Prime Minister? People asked me how Adani’s net worth increased from $8 billion to $140 billion between 2014 and 2022.”

“There was no talk of an inquiry. If he is not a friend, then he should have agreed to an inquiry. There was no probe into shell companies in the defence sector and benami money is changing hands, but the PM did not say anything on that.”

In context: In January, Hindenburg Research, a short seller and research agency, released a report claiming the Adani Group was manipulating its stock prices. The fallout from the report led to sharp drops in stock prices of nine companies in the Adani Group and forced the company to cancel its fully-subscribed Rs 20,000 crore follow-on public offer for Adani Enterprises citing “market volatility”. Though Adani denied the allegations and threatened legal action against Hindenburg, in March, the Supreme Court formed a committee to examine the issue. However, the committee could not reach a conclusion due to a lack of information from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). SEBI, too, had launched an investigation, which it is set to complete by August 14.