Bihar’s 1,050 Acres in Bhagalpur Leased to Adani for ₹1 a Year: Congress Slams PM Modi
New Delhi: In a fiery press conference, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of systematically handing over national resources to industrialist Gautam Adani. Khera alleged that under Modi’s leadership, public wealth, land, forests, coal, and power projects, is being transferred to the Adani Group at throwaway prices, while ordinary citizens are forced to pay inflated bills.
Bihar Project at the Centre of the Storm
Khera’s strongest criticism centered on a massive allocation of 1,050 acres of land in Bhagalpur’s Pirpainti region, along with nearly one million (10 Lakh) mango, lychee, and sangwan trees, leased to Adani for just ₹1 per year for 33 years. According to him, this transfer, done under the guise of establishing a 2,400 MW power project worth ₹14,000 crore, is nothing short of a betrayal of Bihar’s farmers and villagers.
“Imagine this,” Khera said. “Not just the fruits, not just the seeds, but even the trees and the land they stand on, everything has been gifted to one corporate tycoon. Farmers are in tears, yet the government is busy silencing protests. Some villagers were even put under house arrest when the Prime Minister visited Bihar.”
A Pattern Before Every Election
The Congress leader argued that this was not an isolated case. He cited previous allocations of high-value projects to Adani before key state elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand’s Godda, and Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo Aranya, suggesting a consistent pattern of quid pro quo whenever the ruling BJP felt vulnerable.
“Whenever elections loom, Adani gets new gifts. When BJP fears defeat, projects worth thousands of crores are hurriedly handed over,” Khera said.
Looting the People Twice
According to Khera, the issue is not merely about land transfer. He alleged that the electricity generated from Bihar’s resources would eventually be sold back to the state’s people at ₹6.75 per unit, nearly double the rates at which power is supplied in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
“Bihar’s land, Bihar’s coal, Bihar’s money, and yet Biharis will buy electricity at the highest price. It is like stripping the people of their skin, making shoes from it, and selling it back to them,” he remarked sharply.
He also rejected the state government’s claim of providing 125 units of free electricity to the poor, calling it a misleading subsidy. “Nothing is free. The government pays Adani from taxpayers’ pockets. Whether directly or indirectly, the common man is the one footing the bill,” Khera said.
Farmers at the Receiving End
Reports from the ground, Khera said, confirm that many farmers have not been compensated adequately, with some receiving nothing at all. He claimed that signatures were taken under duress, sometimes marked in pencil and later corrected with pen. The scale of acquisition, he added, was staggering, equal to 16 Gandhi Maidans, 225 cricket stadiums, or 770 football fields.
“This is not just about numbers. This is about robbing farmers of their livelihood and dignity while dressing it up as development,” he charged.
Silence of Media and Institutions
Khera expressed deep disappointment at the lack of national debate on such issues. “Why is there no discussion? Why is the media silent? This is open loot happening in broad daylight,” he asked.
He further pointed to the CAG’s earlier report exposing irregularities worth ₹7 lakh crore as part of a larger pattern of crony capitalism.
A Question of Justice
The Congress leader concluded with a sharp indictment: “Bihar is being weakened deliberately, turned into a so-called ‘sick state’ by design. Land is snatched, coal is gifted, forests are destroyed, and then electricity is sold at inflated prices. Where is the justice in this? Who truly benefits? Only the Prime Minister’s friend.”
