Former Congress member turned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gourav Vallabh on Sunday reiterated his stance against his erstwhile party, accusing them of "persistently targeting" industrialist Gautam Adani despite being cleared by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Vallabh lamented that despite his advice, Congress leaders continued their onslaught against Adani and Mukesh Ambani.
Vallabh further said that he had urged the leadership of the grand old party to halt their criticism of Adani following SEBI's exoneration in connection with allegations made by US-based short-seller Hindenburg.
Vallabh, expressing disappointment over Congress's stance towards the country's "wealth creators", told news agency ANI, "The Congress made a habit of going at Adani and Ambani (Reliance Industries chairperson Mukesh Ambani) night and day."
"I did hold a conference (while with the Congress) in which I made certain references against Adani. However, when SEBI gave Adani a clean chit (in the probe into the Hindenburg claims), I stopped airing any public statements about it. I even advised the Congress leaders to stop criticising him after the clean chit by SEBI. But they kept going at him and continued to do so," he added.
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Vallabh also disclosed his decision to disassociate from representing Congress in media interactions after the grand old party's senior members declined an invitation to the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya earlier this year.
"From the time, I resigned my membership of the Congress, I have been saying (in interviews with media outlets) that I repeatedly told leaders in my former party that we cannot remain silent to opposition to 'Sanatana Dharma'," the BJP leader said.
"From the day the Congress turned down the invitation to 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, I decided against representing the Congress on television shows and debates anymore. I told all senior leaders that we need to stop criticising our wealth creators, who work hard to build their wealth while also contributing to nation-building," he added further, as reported by ANI.
Vallabh, while expressing his concerns, stressed the need to refrain from criticising "wealth creators".
He, in his interaction with ANI, emphasised their significant contributions to nation-building. He also criticised the present leadership of Congress, saying that the party was being "controlled by people with no genuine commitment to its ideology".
In a veiled criticism directed at figures like Jairam Ramesh and P Chidambaram, Vallabh questioned their leadership credentials. Implying they lacked a true understanding of the party's grassroots and voter aspirations, the BJP leader said, "The Congress is presently being run by those, who probably never fought elections to be a class monitor".
"A leader (Jairam Ramesh), who never put himself in the fray to even become a class monitor, has been representing the Congress in the Rajya Sabha for five terms now. He has nothing to do with the ideology of the Congress, he just wants to secure his Rajya Sabha seat. He has no ideological commitment to the party," he added further.
Highlighting his discomfort with Congress's direction, Vallabh announced his resignation from all party positions and primary membership. He cited a lack of alignment with its "principles".