Anti-Adani protests in Kenya could transform into public anger against India: Congress
A workers’ union in the African nation has opposed a proposed deal for the Adani Airport company to develop the Nairobi airport, fearing job losses.
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Protests against the Adani Group “taking over” operations of Kenya’s Nairobi airport could turn public sentiment in the African nation against India, the Congress cautioned on Tuesday.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that there have been widespread protests by the workers’ union in Kenya against Gautam Adani-led conglomerate’s proposed takeover of the airport in capital Nairobi.
Ramesh said in a social media that this was a matter of grave concern for India, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “friendship with [Adani Group chairperson Gautam Adani] is now globally well-known”. He added: “The protests can therefore easily convert into anger against India and the Indian government.”
Historically, India’s soft power has been one of its greatest foreign policy strengths, the Opposition party said. “Today, the PM’s collusion with the Adani group has contributed to the diminishing of this strength and unprecedented reversals for India on the global stage,” Ramesh added.
Ramesh was referring to a strike by Kenya’s main aviation workers’ union that was slated to begin on August 19 to protest the government’s proposed agreement with Adani Airport Holdings to develop the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The union, however, postponed the strike so that it could go through documents on the deal that the government presented to it.
The union, while warning of a seven-day...
