The joint Opposition on Thursday wondered what desperation lay behind the extent to which the Narendra Modi government went to shield Gautam Adani, preferring the washout of a Parliament session to a discussion or a joint parliamentary committee probe into the allegations against his business house.

Parliament was adjourned sine die on Thursday following incessant protests that pressed the JPC demand and the BJP's insistence that Rahul Gandhi apologise for his remark in the UK that democracy was in peril in India.

Laying the blame for the washout at the government’s door, 20 Opposition parties stuck to their position that Parliament wasn’t allowed to function only because Modi wanted to avoid the Adani issue. The Opposition parties boycotted the customary tea hosted by the Lok Sabha Speaker on the last day of the session, and held a protest march with the national flag.

The leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, said: “I never saw in my 50-year legislative career that the government did not allow both the Houses to run only to avoid one question. Why is Adani given such importance? Shouldn’t we ask how Adani made Rs 12 lakh crore in two-and-a-half years? Money is taken from LIC, SBI and other banks to buy national assets.”

Kharge added: “With the nation’s resources, the nation’s assets are being bought by a businessman. Ports, airports, infrastructure, electricity, rail... nothing is spared. Why has the government facilitated this transfer? As if there was an agenda to make one man rich by any means. Why can’t Rahul Gandhi’s questions be answered? How did the Prime Minister help Adani get contracts in so many countries? Shouldn’t these issues be debated?”

Contending that a JPC probe would bring out the reality in a transparent manner, Kharge said: “Our questions were about scandals, about loot, about money laundering through shell companies, and they were shouting about Rahul Gandhi saying something in London. The two issues had no connection. It is clear there is a kind of nexus between the Prime Minister and Adani that they didn’t want to expose.”

The session, which saw the removal of the main Opposition voice from the Lok Sabha, witnessed the budget being passed amid din without any discussion. The Opposition demonstrated exceptional grit by staying united on floor strategy and resolving to work on a larger political coalition as well. Kharge is expected to call a meeting of the presidents of all Opposition parties soon.

On Rahul’s ouster, Kharge said: “A Gujarat MP who assaulted a Dalit doctor and was convicted by a court is protected from disqualification. But Rahul Gandhi is falsely accused of insulting the OBCs and disqualified in a day. Is this justice? Rules will be applied selectively? I congratulate all Opposition parties for staying united. But the government did not pay heed to the united voice of the Opposition. Is this democracy? Is this how Parliament is run? And if somebody says democracy is in peril, he is attacked.”

Warning against the drift towards dictatorship, Kharge said democracy would not survive if the government acted in this manner.

Representatives of 20 Opposition parties were present at the media conference with Kharge. DMK leader T.R. Baalu said: “The BJP is jittery after the success of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. They are scared of Rahul Gandhi and that’s why they conspired to throw him out of Parliament. First time I am seeing a ruling party disturb Parliament. But we will fight unitedly.”

K. Keshava Rao of the BRS, which nurtures a strident anti-Congress agenda, said: “You see all the political parties that had differences and maintained a distance. Now you see us together; we are becoming so strong. All the efforts to divide us have failed. We are on the same page and trying to evolve a common programme.”

He argued that leadership wasn’t a hurdle at this stage. The Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh detailed how Modi had helped Adani and was now refusing to order an investigation. The parties present included the NCP, DMK, JDU, Trinamul Congress, RJD, Shiv Sena, CPI, CPM, BRS, AAP, SP, IUML, NC, RSP, RLD, JMM, Kerala Congress, MDMK and the VCK, besides the Congress.