Brown and White Bribery: A Tale of Two Standards

 

Brown and White Bribery: A Tale of Two Standards

The irony of reading about a U.S. court issuing a warrant against Indian businessman Gautam Adani for bribery is rich—pun intended. Adani allegedly tried to grease the wheels with U.S. officials to secure contracts for his company, and while that’s certainly not commendable, let’s pause and marvel at the audacity of the outrage. After all, this is the same America where the billionaire boys club routinely showers money on politicians, wraps it in the euphemism of "lobbying," and emerges from the transaction with contracts worth billions, all stamped with a seal of legality. 

Take, for instance, Elon Musk. His companies have benefited immensely from government contracts, and while the public spectacle of his political "donations" is a masterclass in subtle bribery, the system calls it "campaign finance." When Musk openly backed Trump and the Republican Party, pouring money into their campaigns, it wasn’t bribery—it was “strategic investment.” How quaint. A Pennsylvania court even labeled this legalized transaction above the board during the elections. And why wouldn’t they? After all, the Citizens United decision handed corporations the keys to democracy, reducing the average voter to an afterthought. 

Now, before anyone accuses me of defending Adani, let me be clear: I don’t. What Adani allegedly did in the U.S. is not just unethical; it’s illegal. But what’s striking is the hypocrisy. While non-white businessmen like Adani are paraded in headlines as criminals, their white counterparts are often lauded as “savvy entrepreneurs.” The same system that turns a blind eye to a Musk bankroll condemns a Gupta, an Adani, or any other "outsider" with righteous fury. The game is rigged, and the rules depend entirely on the color of your skin and the currency of your passport. 

This double standard isn’t new. From the East India Company’s infiltration of India through bribes to missionaries incentivizing religious conversions, Western powers have historically weaponized money to achieve their ends. Yet, these tactics, when employed at home, are sanitized into “lobbying” or “advocacy.” Americans, if you ask them, will shrug when you mention lobbying firms. Few understand that these institutions are essentially professional bribery outfits, ensuring the seamless exchange of influence for dollars. 

The timing of Adani’s case is also curious. It coincides with whispers that the U.S. might be eyeing a military base in southern India—perhaps on one of the strategically located islands under Indian control. Considering Adani’s closeness with Prime Minister Modi, this move feels less about justice and more like leverage. Modi, after all, has a track record of bending over backward to accommodate his friends, and no one understands the art of twisting arms better than the West. 

Modi’s history of non-alignment on global issues, like the Russia-Ukraine war, has long irked Western powers. While the U.S. was busy turning the conflict into a geopolitical chess game, Modi played it safe, much to the chagrin of Washington. And now, here we are—an Adani bribery case conveniently emerges, potentially serving as a bargaining chip. If America can’t get what it wants through diplomacy, it won’t hesitate to apply pressure where it hurts. 

It’s laughable that some Indians believe Trump would be a better ally for Modi than Biden. A word of advice: a wise adversary is infinitely preferable to a foolish friend. Trump isn’t a genius—he’s a self-serving opportunist who thrives on flattery and chaos. In that sense, he’s a lot like Modi. Both men surround themselves with sycophants and pursue policies that benefit their inner circles. But the question remains: does India want to rely on someone like Trump, whose allegiance is as fickle as his social media outbursts? 

The tale of brown-and-white bribery isn’t just a story of corruption; it’s a story of perception. In America, bribery comes in a tailored suit, delivered with a smile and a lobbying firm’s logo. It’s legal, even celebrated, as the machinery of democracy hums along, fueled by corporate dollars. In contrast, when someone like Adani is accused, it’s a spectacle—a convenient scapegoat for a system that refuses to look itself in the mirror. 

Until the U.S. courts are willing to address the blatant bribery disguised as lobbying within their own borders, every case against foreign businessmen like Adani will carry the stench of hypocrisy. True justice requires more than token gestures—it demands a systemic reckoning. But in the land where billionaires are the true rulers, that reckoning remains a pipe dream. For now, the West will continue to differentiate between “smart businessmen” and “criminals,” and the deciding factor, more often than not, will be the color of their skin.