New Delhi | Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a news report that the Adani Group has "selected eight Chinese companies to help" its solar manufacturing project and called for a strategy "to wean India of its dependence on China".

He said it has to be ensured that the taxpayers' money does not benefit Chinese companies.

In a post on 'X', Ramesh said, "The non-biological Prime Minister infamously told the nation on June 19, 2020, after the Galwan clashes that 'Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai (Neither has anyone entered our borders, nor has anyone occupied territories)'."

"However, he shows no hesitation in liberally issuing visas to Chinese workers to help one of his 'tempowallah' buddies," he said in the post on 'X' while tagging with it a newspaper report about Adani Solar seeking Centre's nod to bring a few engineers from China.

Ramesh's "tempowallah buddies" jibe is in reference to PM Modi's attack on Rahul Gandhi at a Lok Sabha election rally asking why the former Congress chief stopped "abusing" Adani and Ambani in his attacks and whether his party received "tempo loads of money" from them in return.

"The Adani Group, a major recipient of taxpayer largesse via the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, has reportedly selected eight Chinese companies to help its solar manufacturing project and has asked for special permission to issue visas for 30 Chinese workers," Ramesh wrote on the social media platform.

"Having facilitated multiple Modani scams such as coal and power-equipment over-invoicing and the amassing of illegal stakes in Adani Group companies -- all executed by individuals like Chang Chung-Ling and Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli -- why would the non-biological PM not waive national security considerations in this instance to benefit his partner and close friend?" Ramesh said it is "bad enough that these concessions are being made even as the Chinese continue to occupy 2,000 square kilometres of Indian territory in eastern Ladakh".

He claimed that India's imports from China have shot up from USD 70 billion in 2018-19 to USD 101 billion in 2023-24.

"Even the PLI scheme is benefitting China in sectors like electronics, solar etc. where PLI beneficiaries are signing giant contracts with Chinese vendors even as they enjoy taxpayer subsidies. All this of course is in the name of Atmanirbharta (self-reliance)," Ramesh said.

"It is time for a proper strategy to wean India off dependence on China, and to ensure that taxpayer funds do not benefit Chinese companies. Prioritising his friends over national interest may be second nature to the PM, but it cannot be allowed to become national policy," he added.