By Sunil Jena | The Politics Odia
During his visit to Odisha for the Sambidhan Bachao Samabesh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi strongly attacked corporate giants like Adani and Ambani. He raised slogans about protecting India’s Constitution and vowed to defend the rights of Adivasis over “jal, jungle, zameen” (water, forest, land). But in a rally that was supposed to be about tribal empowerment, one powerful name was conspicuously missing: Vedanta.
At a time when tribals in Rayagada’s Sijimali hills are protesting against Vedanta’s bauxite mining push, Rahul’s silence on the company has raised more questions than answers.
Tribals Travel to Bhubaneswar — and Face Silence
A delegation of tribal villagers from Sijimali travelled to Bhubaneswar hoping to meet Rahul Gandhi. Their demand was simple — highlight how Vedanta was allegedly using state force to push them off their ancestral land. Despite meeting his team and handing over representations, Rahul made no mention of Vedanta in his speech.
His selective outrage — targeting Adani and Ambani while ignoring Vedanta — is now being interpreted by many as a calculated political compromise.
The ₹125 Crore Question
It is being whispered in political corridors that Vedanta donated ₹125 crore to the Congress through electoral bonds. While this claim remains unverified, it has gained traction especially because of Rahul’s omission of the company’s name during a high-profile public event about tribal rights.
What explains this silence when Vedanta’s bauxite project has become the epicentre of Odisha’s tribal land struggles? Even after tribals accused the company of using coercion and violating forest rights, Rahul Gandhi chose not to speak a word against them.
A Double Standard?
Rahul Gandhi has positioned himself as a champion of the marginalised — speaking up for farmers, Dalits, OBCs, and Adivasis. But when it comes to corporate accountability, is he drawing a line between which billionaires to criticise and which ones to spare?
Is this a matter of strategy, legal caution, or something deeper tied to party funding?
Final Thought
By not mentioning Vedanta, Rahul Gandhi may have missed an opportunity to strengthen his credibility among Odisha’s Adivasi communities. His speech was full of passion, but the absence of one corporate name spoke louder than the rest.
If Rahul truly wants to be seen as a leader of the oppressed, he must prove that no company is too big, no donor too powerful, and no silence too convenient.
