By K Raveendran
The Supreme Court has settled for good the question whether the addition of ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ in the Preamble of the Constitution was in order. It was immaterial that the Constitutional amendment to do this was passed during Indira Gandhi’s Emergency. The court’s decision could not have come at a more appropriate time as the nation has just launched celebrations for the 75 years of India adopting the Constitution. The occasion has provided an opportunity to express solidarity with the Constitution, right from parliament to the courts to political parties to ordinary people.
The commitment to Constitution has been a key theme of the moment. Rahul Gandhi has alleged that Prime Minister Modi has never read the Constitution as testified by some of his actions. That has been a common thread in Rahul Gandhi’s campaign all through. But Modi has declared that he has always worked within the limits set by the Constitution and has not encroached the space of the other wings of governance. That is as far as the written Constitution goes.
But the actions of the Modi government over the years make one wonder whether there is an unwritten constitution in which there is reference to Adani, just as the written constitution refers to socialism and secularism, which the Supreme Court has upheld. Apparently, in the unwritten constitution, Adani occupies a position that is equal to or even higher than national sovereignty. It appears that Adani even has a certain significant weightage in determining the country’s foreign policy, particularly economic relations. As such, Adani has been a regular feature of Prime Minister Modi’s foreign trips and is believed to have played a key role in some of the major deals signed during these visits.
Adani’s name has surfaced repeatedly in discussions about the dynamics of power in India, in which corporate interests, epitomized by Adani, play an outsized role. Adani’s proximity to the government has fuelled speculation that his business interests have been prioritized, sometimes at the expense of national sovereignty and public welfare. As such, Adani’s centrality to India’s economic narrative has been mirrored in its global engagements. From infrastructure deals to energy collaborations, his ventures have frequently been showcased during Modi’s foreign visits, projecting India’s economic ambitions on a global stage.
The stakes have been further heightened by recent allegations against the Adani Group in the United States. The group has been accused of engaging in corrupt practices to secure lucrative deals in India and other countries. These allegations, if proven, could have far-reaching implications, not only for the Adani Group but also for the Modi government, given the close association between the two. This has added a layer of complexity, with the probes straining the group’s international operations, potentially reshaping India’s economic diplomacy. Already countries like Kenya and Bangladesh have reneged on deals with Adanis.
The ruling party has already been compelled to adopt a cautious stance, publicly distancing itself from Adani amid mounting scrutiny. This shift in posture reflects the political sensitivity of the issue, as well as the potential repercussions for the government’s image both domestically and internationally. Some of the state governments involved in the questionable deals, of course, belonged to parties other than the BJP, which shows the complete stranglehold of the group over India’s economic activities.
Now, with Adani facing trouble in the US, all eyes are on whether Modi will play his Trump card. Although the ruling party is seeking to adopt a public posturing distancing from Adani, the Modi-Trump camaraderie is expected to play out in how the US case will take its course down the road. In fact, reports coming from the US suggest that the new Trump administration might even drop the charges against the Adani group once the new President assumes office. The two sides could justify this by citing potential benefits to bilateral relations or economic cooperation.
US-based Indian experts are suggesting that the transition to the new president could see significant changes in the way these cases are handled. Trump has no qualms in using laws to target political opponents or to extricate supporters from difficult situations. Trump is certain to bring in his own man to head the Securities and Exchanges Commission, which has so far been very stringent about action against the Adani group.
The new situation seems to have encouraged the embattled group to come out of its shell and publicly defend itself. After remaining mum for all these days, the group has since issued a statement denying that the group has been slapped with corruption charges in the US. (IPA Service)
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