TMC accuses BJP of silencing Opp voice in Parl, says scrutiny of Bills down to 13%

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC), on Thursday, accused the BJP of attempting to silence the voice of the Opposition in the Parliament while demanding a Supreme Court-monitored enquiry into how public funds in State Bank of India (SBI) and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) are being allegedly invested in companies of the Adani Group.

TMC MPs Derek ‘O’Brien and Sougata Roy told the media that the ruling party in the Centre is allegedly making desperate attempts to suppress the voice of the Opposition in the Parliament.

Substantiating their claims, Derek said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn’t even bother to answer questions in Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha while Opposition MPs are not given a chance to discuss issues under Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook which allows for the suspension of day’s business to debate an issue.

“BJP does not want to discuss people’s issues. They are writing a dark history of the Indian Parliament. Trinamool MPs covered their faces in black clothes and protested in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,” he said.

Derek added that if one goes by statistics then it will become apparent how the percentage of scrutiny of Bills has also come down to about 13 per cent from what was at least 60 per cent during the UPA-II government.

Further, TMC alleged that the Adani Group is looting the country and robbing the hard-earned money that belongs to the common people.

Derek said that all the Opposition parties are in agreement that there should be a Supreme Court-monitored enquiry into how money is being allegedly looted by the Adani group from the State Bank of India and Life Insurance Corporation.

“These two institutions have money that belongs to common people who have earned it through hard work and deposited it with these institutions with the hope that their money will remain safe,” said Derek.

“We had previously also demanded an SC-monitored enquiry. We are not comfortable with the idea of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe since the JPC chairman will be a BJP member. The JPC probes have a chequered history. It only brushes matters under the carpet,” he alleged.

Further, the TMC MPs questioned as to why the central investigating agencies such as CBI and ED are not probing this alleged loot by the Adani Group.

“What is stopping them from investigating this financial crime? About Rs 1 lakh crore ++ money is being looted,” Derek alleged.

He further stated that in states where Adani Group is engaged in projects, the respective state governments must investigate. Asked when will the West Bengal government begin a probe against Adani companies, Derek said: “This only the state government can answer.”