Opposition MPs protest over Adani issue in Parliament premises

New Delhi: In an unusual protest, leaders of some INDIA Bloc parties on Thursday wore black jackets with stickers reading “Modi Adani Ek Hai” and “Adani Safe Hai” on those and raised slogans on the Parliament premises to demand a joint parliamentary probe into the Adani issue.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who put the sticker on his trademark white T-shirt, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot order an investigation against Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani as it would amount to announcing a probe against himself.

Congress MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and lawmakers from several other Opposition parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Left, participated in the protest. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Samajwadi Party (SP), however, did not participate in the agitation, in what the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) described as “divisions” in the Opposition Bloc.

Both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi demanded that a discussion on Adani’s indictment in a US court on bribery and fraud charges must take place in Parliament and the prime minister must speak on the issue in the House.

The protest took place in front of the steps of Parliament’s Makar Dwar

and not on the steps leading to it as an advisory issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat and Speaker Om Birla had flagged the issue.

A little later, the protesting MPs lined up in front of the Samvidhan Sadan and raised slogans against Modi and Adani.

“Modiji cannot order an investigation against Adaniji because if he does so, it will mean his own investigation. Modi and Adani are one,” Rahul Gandhi said during the protest.

Congress leader K C Venugopal said, “The entire wealth of this country is going to only one man. That man is actually in total corruption. An American court has given a summons to him and said corruption happened in India. However, Parliament is not ready to discuss (the matter).”

Asked about any differences within the Opposition camp, TMC MP Sagarika Ghosh said there is no such problem and the Opposition is together in raising people’s issues.

“There are no differences of opinion among the Opposition parties. The government is trying to spread false news. The Opposition is strong and united.... There may be differences in our strategies and approaches like we are raising the issues of Bengal, unemployment and they are raising the Adani issue, but we are united and fighting the BJP unitedly,” she said.

SP leader Ramji Lal Suman said though his party is part of the INDIA Opposition Bloc, there was some miscommunication. He said the SP leadership was not informed about the protest and thus, the party did not take part in it. “We are part of the INDIA Opposition Bloc,” he asserted.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat issued an advisory on Tuesday, urging the MPs not to hold protests in front of the gates of Parliament, saying such an obstruction of movement could affect their own safety and security.

Opposition MPs held a protest on the steps of Makar Dwar on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Congress and some other Opposition parties have been demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe following the indictment of Adani and other company officials in a US court.

The Congress has said Adani’s indictment “vindicates” its demand for a JPC probe into the various “scams” involving the billionaire industrialist’s conglomerate.

Rahul Gandhi has sought Adani’s immediate arrest.

The Adani Group has dismissed all allegations as “baseless”.