In the aftermath of the catastrophic Turkey-Syria earthquake that has killed around 25,000 people so far, injured nearly a lakh more and caused unprecedented damage to property in the two nations, it has been heartening to see the whole world join hands to carry out relief and rescue operations at ground zero. It showed that humanity – despite its myriad conflicts, inherent differences, cultivated alliances and inevitable leanings – is alive and well.
It was a matter of great pride to see India being among the first to offer humanitarian assistance to both Turkey and Syria in the form of emergency medical supplies, multiple rescue teams and other earthquake relief material.
While India has been playing a leading role in helping out natural disaster-struck countries, particularly those in its neighbourhood, its promptness in reaching out to Turkey is all the more commendable in light of the strained relationship between the two countries over the past few years. After all, Ankara had openly taken Pakistan’s side on the Jammu and Kashmir issue and the Turkish leadership had been increasingly critical of the revocation of Article 370 at various international forums, including the United Nations.
Turkey’s appreciation of this large-hearted response made for an interesting contrast with its refusal to host Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on grounds that its leadership was busy with earthquake relief work.
However, another major news, something that caused the equivalent of a powerful earthquake in the Indian stock market, was the Adani-Hindenberg row.
It was not so much what happened between the two sides in this story. Yet, make no mistake, a lot did. The report published by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research last month, which alleged that the Adani Group had been involved in fraudulent transactions and share-price manipulations, saw the combined market valuation of its group of companies slashed by half thanks to massive sell-offs by flustered investors. Given the Adani Group is one of the largest conglomerates in the country, this development naturally had a domino effect on the rest of the stock market. With Adani Group’s detailed rebuttal of those allegations, prompt steps to restore investor confidence and commencement of legal action against the American entity, this kerfuffle promises to be a long-drawn-out affair.
But what was most disheartening about the story – one that has left a bitter aftertaste – was the eagerness with which the Congress-led opposition rose to wield this foreign report as a stick to beat the Modi government. They did not find it pertinent to wait for an examination of this issue by the nation’s legal authorities and experts before taking the claims of the report at its face value. What’s worse, for all the wisdom that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi acquired during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, he found it appropriate to launch a personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha, accusing him of crony capitalism and being hand in glove with Adani Group boss Gautam Adani.
Gandhi’s remarks were rightfully expunged by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and received a befitting response from Prime Minister Modi during his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Rajya Sabha. Yet they marked a new and shameful low in the country’s political discourse.
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