Elon Musk Shares Reports On Reliance-Linked Firm's BJP Donations

Elon Musk escalated his public dispute with Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani by sharing media reports about a Reliance-funded firm's alleged role in boosting BJP campaigns and a Reliance-linked company's political donations.

Musk posted screenshots on X of an Al Jazeera report from 2022 titled "How a Reliance-funded firm boosts BJP's campaigns on Facebook" and a 2024 Indian Express report on Qwik Supply, a Reliance-linked company. The Indian Express report stated Qwik Supply donated Rs 385 crore to the BJP and Rs 25 crore to the Shiv Sena through electoral bonds.

Musk's posts come amid his accusations that Ambani is seeking to protect a monopoly and prevent Starlink from competing in India. Days earlier, Musk sarcastically addressed Ambani as "Prime Minister Ambani" on X, asking him to "Please accept my humble apologies for not realizing that you are the real boss of India." Musk questioned whether India would allow Starlink to compete, arguing that Starlink could help bridge India's digital divide in areas lacking internet access.

India's government has rejected allegations of regulatory favoritism, maintaining that all three licensed satellite communications operators, including Starlink, are at broadly the same stage of the approval process and must meet required security conditions. Uttarakhand Chief Minister criticized Rahul Gandhi over his exchange with Elon Musk on Starlink’s delayed India launch, emphasizing national security requirements.

On Wednesday, Musk claimed certain oligarchs were blocking Starlink to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people, calling it a crime against the people of India!