Cong blames govt for impasse in Parliament

New Delhi, March 14 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday blamed the impasse in Parliament on the Modi government’s refusal to allow the opposition parties to raise the JPC demand on the Adani issue.

Amid growing opposition demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani affair, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has leveled various allegations against the Modi government’s foreign policy, saying it is aimed at benefitting the Adani Group.

“Is India’s foreign policy aimed at making Adani rich? In the last nine years, Modi ji has taken India with him on the ‘Bram (wrong)’ and Adani on the ‘Vishva Brahmin (global journey)’,” Gandhi alleged in a video in Hindi.

Asked about the Congress’ allegations, Adani clarified that Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, “The first break was given to him by (Congress chief minister) Shimanbhai Patel… the second break was given by Rajiv Gandhi. (They believe) if Adani does development for the country, it should be under their regime and not under any other regime. Saying it was not an issue, he said, “Adani-Ambani is just an excuse, they want to abuse Modi.”

“Their (Congress’) 10-year rule was marred by controversies, Modi’s government was hopeful, it was houses, toilets, ujjwala, water, so now they want to end all this and only then think that the government. Will end,” the BJP leader told reporters outside Parliament.

Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day on Tuesday as the ruling party demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi for the democratic comment, while the opposition remained firm on the JPC demand on the Adani issue.

“There was a stalemate in Parliament as the Modi government continued to refuse to even allow the united opposition to raise a legitimate demand for JPC in Prime Minister’s linked Adani ‘MagaMegaScam’. This is the only problem. Everything else is a planned diversion by the PM and his colleagues,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter.

Earlier leaders of 16 parties including Congress, DMK, CPI-M, JDU, RJD, NCP, SP, SS (Uddav), AAP, CPI, JMM, MDMK, NC, and Kerala Congress The meeting was held. Adani decided to raise the matter in the House.

The TMC did not attend the meeting, but its MPs staged a protest in front of the Gandhi statue on the Parliament premises, demanding the government stop “protecting” the Adani Group. The Trinamool Congress members carried banners and placards saying “Stop protecting Adani” and raised slogans against the government. Sources said that the government’s attack against Rahul Gandhi on democracy in London came up for discussion at the meeting held in Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s room.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi also met senior Congress leaders at the Congress office in the Parliament complex and discussed the party’s strategy in the wake of the government’s attack on Rahul Gandhi.

Congress leader Shaktisingh Kohil asked why the government was trying to protect the Adani Group and was backing away from the debate and the JBC inquiry into the issue.

Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said that only JPC can bring out the truth.

He also accused the government of misusing investigative agencies to target opposition leaders.

Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh alleged that investigative agencies have become partners of the government in targeting opposition leaders.

BRS’s K Kesava Rao also spoke in a similar vein.

Several Congress leaders had given adjournment notices in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha to discuss the Adani issue, but they were rejected by the Speaker and the Lok Sabha. These include Pramod Tiwari, Naseer Hussain, Ame Yajnik, Kumar Ketkar, JP Mathar and Neeraj Tangi.

The proceedings were adjourned due to the agitation by the opposition members in both houses over the Adani issue.

American short-seller Hindenburg Research alleged that the Adani Group was “engaged in a brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud” and used foreign shell companies to prop up share prices.

The group has denied the allegations, calling them “malicious”, “baseless” and a “calculated attack on India”. PTI SKC ASK DV DV