New Delhi/Kolkata/Karur. Opposition parties on Thursday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the allegations leveled by US prosecutors against industrialist Gautam Adani and demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigation into the matter. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi even said that Adani should be immediately arrested and interrogated.
US prosecutors have accused Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani of bribing Indian government officials to obtain solar energy contracts. Under this alleged scheme, a bribe of $ 250 million (about Rs 2236 crore) was given from 2020 to 2024.
Adani Group has said that the allegations of bribery made by US officials are baseless, all the laws are being fully followed by the group. After this matter came to light, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi made a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that Adani should be arrested immediately. While talking to reporters, he also claimed that Gautam Adani will not be arrested because Prime Minister Modi and Adani are ‘one’ and hence both are ‘safe’.
Rahul Gandhi said that as the Leader of Opposition in the winter session of Parliament, he and the entire opposition will raise the issue related to Adani.
The former Congress president also said that Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) chief Madhavi Puri Buch should be immediately removed from her post and an investigation should be started.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge posted on ‘X’, “When a top ranking Indian businessman is indicted by a foreign country, it tarnishes our image on the global stage. The Indian National Congress has consistently opposed unethical business practices that promote profiteering and aggrandizement of a few by implementing the Modi government’s policy of creating monopolies in key sectors and concentrating wealth in the hands of a few by giving unfair advantages. .” He said that this entire nexus created by Prime Minister Modi and Adani involving capitalists, compromised bureaucrats and some politicians should be investigated and destroyed.
Kharge claimed, “This nexus seriously harms our people, the poor and the middle class, aspiring entrepreneurs, MSMEs, startups and crores of small and medium retail investors, as it widens inequalities by siphoning off savings and opportunities.” .” Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the action of the American prosecutors vindicates the demand of the main opposition party that a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) should be formed to investigate the entire episode related to this business group.
Ramesh also said that JPC should be formed immediately.
Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghosh told PTI-Video, “The allegations made by America against Adani Group and Gautam Adani are very serious. Gautam Adani is an industrialist who has very close relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The opposition is continuously demanding an independent and impartial investigation into all the allegations against the Adani Group. There should be an independent and impartial investigation into all allegations.” He said that JPC is the only institution which can conduct this independent and impartial investigation.
Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha said, “It has now become so serious that even if the agencies and influential people of the country try their best to cover up this matter, it will be exposed. This is also a matter of India’s prestige. When opposition leaders raise this issue in the House, our BJP friends come forward as spokespersons for Adani.” National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said that the Center should take the allegations against Adani seriously and investigate the matter thoroughly.
Abdullah said that he does not know much about the issues related to Adani Group, but he has been accused of wrongdoing in the past also. He said, “If this has happened then it should be investigated.” Abdullah told reporters, “There is a demand for JPC. I hope that the central government will take this issue seriously and investigate it thoroughly.” The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) said the Narendra Modi government “can no longer hide behind the scenes” and there should be a CBI inquiry into the bribery allegations leveled against Adani.
The CPI(M) said in a statement that the indictment filed in a United States court against Gautam Adani and six others includes serious allegations against the industrialist and his nephew Sagar Adani of their involvement in bribing officials of the Government of India at the Center and in the states. Communist Party of India (CPI) general secretary D Raja told PTI Video, “If this is true, then it is a huge scam. Now Prime Minister Modi will have to answer to the people of India.” He alleged that no concrete answer has come from the government in the Adani case.
Trinamool demands statement from Prime Minister Modi on Adani issue
Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the charges of bribery and fraud filed against billionaire businessman Gautam Adani in America. TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, “Earlier also there were reports about irregularities against the group. Now this indictment of American prosecutors is a big allegation. I think Prime Minister Narendra Modi should give a statement on this issue.”
Tamil Nadu has nothing to do with Adani’s company: Senthil Balaji
Tamil Nadu Energy Minister V Senthil Balaji on Thursday said the state-run power corporation has no commercial relationship with Gautam Adani’s company and the state has an agreement to buy power only from a central government company. Speaking to reporters here, the minister said that he has seen reference to Tamil Nadu in some news and social media posts regarding industrialist Gautam Adani. Adani has been accused in the US in relation to solar energy contracts.
He said, “I would first like to clarify that as far as TANGEDCO (TN Generation and Distribution Corporation) is concerned, it has not had any agreement with Adani’s company during the last three years (after DMK took power in May 2021). There has not been any kind of business relationship.
No mention of SECI in irregularities in Adani case: RP Gupta
Public sector Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) Chairman and Managing Director RP Gupta said on Thursday that SECI is not mentioned in any kind of irregularities in the Adani case. US prosecutors have accused industrialist Gautam Adani of allegedly paying bribes worth $265 million (about Rs 2,200 crore) to Indian officials in exchange for favorable terms to win solar power contracts in India.
In response to questions asked on the developments related to Adani, Gupta told PTI, “There is nothing against SECI that he has done anything wrong. It is not like this anywhere. There is no mention of any wrongdoing or irregularity on the part of SECI.” According to US prosecutors’ documents, Solar Energy Corporation of India, the nodal agency for the implementation of renewable energy in the country, had signed power sale agreements with Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu between July 2021 and December 2021. SECI basically allots tenders for power projects involving solar manufacturing.