Attack on Adani and others

The unscrupulous elements, irrespective whether Indian or American, survive on extorting money from wealth creators. Adani is no exception. Communism in India was defined as abusing “Tata-Birla’ earlier as there was neither an Adani nor Ambani. Doing business in India has never been easy. Shortage of capital, plant, machinery, technology, design & drawings, market, regulatory compliance and trained manpower posed only huge problems and hindrances for any entrepreneur. Everybody tried to fleece the investor, who was yet to become an entrepreneur. It was called “corruption”. Americans were not far behind as any case of import of technology or plant & machinery for 40 years would provide more than enough evidence. Then there were strikes, chakka-jams, pen down, work to rule and hundred other man-made industrial obstacles. These elements thought the investor was doing “business”, they did not understand the value of industrialisation, job creation and economic growth. They have shifted to America and Europe after 2014 and what is happening to Adani today is collaboration between unscrupulous people in both countries. One instance will highlight the situation: West Bengal was the industrially better developed state in India but industries were either shut down or turned sick or were driven away. Shingur, where the Tata Group were setting up a small car project and were forced by violence to give it up, was the last fort to fall and no new industry has been set up there so far. American corporations like Enron and Dow Chemical plant in Bhopal are the illustrations of failed/absent FCPA. What is America proud of? American violence against Indian companies will lead to nowhere. America has to understand that what can be achieved by lawful means can never be achieved by arm twisting in the manner they have been attacking Indian companies or government or institutions. The British had suffered the end of their mighty empire! America is no more than an equal member of the UNO.

M L Gupta