Adani benefited from Modi govt's 'largesse': Jairam Ramesh

Over an allocation of a coal mine in Chhattisgarh, former environment minister Jairam Ramesh on Monday alleged that billionaire Gautam Adani has benefited from Modi government's largesse.  The charge was denied by the Adani group, saying the mine was allocated during United Progressive Alliance regime.

Adani Group said it was only an operator of the coal mine, which was allocated to the Rajasthan government when Congress was in power both at the Centre and the state and Ramesh as the environment minister had given the forest clearance.

The Congress leader however countered this, saying the issue was not about Adani being selected as mine operator by Rajasthan government, but of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Chhattisgarh government passing an order cancelling community land rights of local tribals over the forest land that was guaranteed under the Forest Rights Act.

Standing by the decision taken by the UPA, Ramesh said he had provided detailed evidence to show how the Union Tribal Affairs Secretary was supporting Chhattisgarh government's brazen unilateral move to benefit Adani by circumventing a rule, I had myself laid out as the Minister of Environment and Forests in August 2009.

The rule stated that projects in forest areas should not and will not get clearance unless all rights — individual and community — are settled under the law passed by the Parliament with great exuberance and expectation in December 2006, he added.

Adani Group responded by issuing a statement saying, "The mine is owned by the Rajasthan government. The clearance was issued by the Chhattisgarh government to the Rajasthan government. Hence, we are surprised and fail to understand, why Ramesh is seeking an explanation from us on getting any favour in the said case?"

"Incidentally during that period, the government of Rajasthan was also ruled by the Congress," it said.