Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday expressed dismay over the Chair in both Houses of Parliament disallowing the opposition to raise under Rule 267 the issue of corruption allegations against the Adani Group and said the government should "let the truth come out" as the matter is affecting the country's image.
Under Rule 267, the listed business for the day can be suspended to debate an urgent matter with the Chair's approval. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday disallowed 13 notices served under rule 267, including seven that sought a discussion on the US indictment on the alleged payment of USD 265 million in bribes. Similar notices were rejected in Lok Sabha also.
The Adani Group has denied the allegations against it.
Kharge also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of spoiling the country's image by "helping" some key businessmen get contracts abroad, and demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the allegations against the Adani Group.
"Rule 267 is made only to raise such important issues. Else, that rule should not have been there. We want that we should be allowed to raise this issue under this rule.
"We want a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to be set up, in which there will be more people from his party (BJP) and all get an opportunity to be represented. Form a JPC, let the truth come out," he said in a video message shared on X.
Both houses were adjourned for the day after opposition uproar when they were disallowed to raise the issue on the first day of the winter session of Parliament. Kharge said he does not know the reason for the adjournment of the House.
He stressed there are serious allegations of corruption, bribery and financial irregularities against the Adani Group. "It is important that we raise this issue to help save the country. But, Modi ji says that we are creating 'hungama'," he said Kharge lashed out at the prime minister for accusing the opposition of stalling Parliament.
"Modiji targets the opposition abroad and says that we are tarnishing his image. You are spoiling the image of the country with such acts of corruption and helping businessmen get contracts," the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said.
"The Modani issue rocked both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha today. INDIA parties called for a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation into the Modani scam - the case for which has been reinforced by the recent indictments of Adani's bribery and supression of information from Indian and American regulators. Both Houses got adjourned for the day," AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.
"Public money was used for paying bribes and we wanted to tell the country about this through the House and we were raising these issues before the Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers," he said.
"Wherever Modi ji goes, whichever country he visits, Adani gets contracts there, there is a very long list. That is why we wanted that this should be discussed dispassionately in the House.
"It is important to bring these issues before the House when things are harming the country and due to which the world may lose faith in us, " the Congress president said.
He claimed that when PM Modi himself went to Bangladesh in June 2015, Adani Group got a power project there later.
"Adani got projects wherever Modi ji went, be it Malaysia, Israel, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Tanzania, Vietnam, Greece, etc. Kenya has just cancelled the contract under public pressure.
"Which country will choose only Adani without the blessings of Modiji? There are so many reputed investors in India, but they are not chosen. All this is happening with Modiji's support, it is affecting the country. We wanted to raise this issue, but were not allowed so," Kharge said.
He also said that these are questions on SECI, a central government PSU, for promoting the business interests of a company and facilitating payment of bribes.
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