Modi govt tweaked rules to favour Adani: Cong

New Delhi: Hitting out at the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress has on Wednesday alleged that the Centre tweaked Defence Procurement Procedure – 2016 (DPP) to allow Adani Defence JV – a defence company owned by PM Modi's close friend Gautam Adani with zero experience in submarine manufacturing JV – to participate in a Rs 45,000 crore submarine project.

In a shocking revelation, the Congress has accused the Modi government of tweaking the rules in favour of Adani. "The government has flouted the clauses of DPP in order to include Adani in the bidding process."

While talking to reporters, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "The Modi government and the PMO overruled suggestions made by the empowered committee which was set up by the Indian Navy."

Though the deal has not yet been finalised, the Congress has alleged that an Empowered Committee of the Indian Navy headed by Navy's Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition rejected Adani's bid as his company was not found to be eligible but overruling the empowered committee, the Modi government allowed Adani's company to take part in the bid from the backdoor.

"Adani's company sought to manufacture submarines based on a clause wherein its experience of setting up and running a power plant is counted which is in complete violation of the procedure," Surjewala said.

"The Empowered Committee of the Indian Navy shortlisted two entities – government-owned Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders and Larsen and Toubro — but Modi government directed consideration of Adani for the project," the Congress leader said.