'Childish brain': BJP slams Rahul over Adani-Modi link

The Maharashtra unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday calling him "childish" over the latter's tirade against industrialist Gautam Adani and his conglomerate, and linking them to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP said Gandhi should explain why the Congress-led government in office before 2014 at the Centre had given land parcels to the Adani group.

In a long post on X (formerly Twitter), the state BJP said, "Rahul Gandhi who has a childish brain should tell why the Congress government before 2014 had given key land parcels to the Adani group. The earlier Congress government had given several awards to the Adani group, it should be communicated to the people."

"Why did (NCP founder) Sharad Pawar oppose the Congress demand for JPC (probe in Adani group affairs) which was based on Hindenberg report? Why did Congress government in Maharashtra in 2013 awarded 660 MW Tiroda power plant to the Adani group?" the party asked.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi said asked PM Modi to come clean on fresh allegations against the Adani Group and said he must order a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into them as India's reputation is at stake ahead of the G20 summit in the country.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, Gandhi said at a press conference in Mumbai this is a "national issue" and all opposition parties are together on the matter.

Referring to the fresh set of allegations made by some top global financial dailies that there is a "relationship" between Adani and the PM, Gandhi said this is affecting the country's global image and its reputation is at stake just before the G20 summit.