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Rahul Gandhi takes a swipe at Indian PM over Sri Lankan power project

12 Jun 2022

Commenting on the controversy surrounding the awarding of the Mannar Wind Power project to Indian conglomerate Adani, Member of the Indian National Congress Rahul Gandhi has taken a swipe at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Taking to twitter, Gandhi said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) cronyism has now crossed Palk Strait and moved into Sri Lanka.” This comes after a meeting of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) at the parliamentary complex on Friday (10), where the CEB Chairman M.M.C. Ferdinando had claimed that the tender for the wind power plant in Mannar had been given to India’s Adani Group as a result of the pressure exerted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ferdinando, who is the former Secretary to the Ministry of Power, told the committee that the President had informed him to award the tender to the Adani Group as there was pressure from the Indian Government to do so. However, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued a statement yesterday denying these allegations of undue authorisation for wind power projects.  President Gotabaya Rajapaksa categorically stated that he had not at any time given authorisation to award a wind power project in Mannar to any person or any institution. The President vehemently denied the statement made by the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board at the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises in this regard.  “Sri Lanka is currently in an acute shortage of power and the President desires to expedite implementation of mega power projects as early as possible.”  “However, no undue influence will be used in awarding such projects, Project proposals for large-scale renewable energy projects are limited, but special attention will be paid to the selection of institutions for the projects, which will be carried out strictly in accordance with the transparent and accountable system by the government of Sri Lanka.” Soon after, Ferdinando apologized unconditionally over the statement made by him at the COPE meeting. “During this discussion I became so emotional due to pressures and unreasonable allegations levelled against me to issue this official letter of request. Therefore, due to unexpected pressure and emotions, I was compelled without limitation to express the word ‘India agamathi bala kara bawa kiwwa’ (stressed by the Hon Prime Minister of India), which is totally incorrect. Hence, I wish to withdraw the relevant statement and record my apology unconditionally,” he said.


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