New Delhi: Stepping up its attack on the BJP-led government, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday asked why the ruling dispensation was afraid of constituting a Joint Parliamentary Probe (JPC) on Adani issue.
“We (Opposition) raised various issues. Nineteen parties unitedly demanded for a JPC on Adani issue. How did the wealth of Adani within 2.5 years became Rs 12 lakh crore ? Why is the government afraid of constituting a JPC ?,” Kharge asked at a joint press conference of the Opposition parties, held at the Constitution Club here shortly after ‘Tricolour March’ from Parliament House to Vijay Chowk against the BJP government.
The Hindenburg Research report alleged the Adani Group had engaged in stock manipulation and accounting fraud schemes over the course of decades.
Kharge, who has been accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of favouring billionaire businessman Gautam Adani, in a veiled attack on Modi said, “He has a relation with him (Adani). Therefore, he is not ready for JPC.”
Taking a swipe at the ruling BJP, the Congress chief said, “Modi government only talks about democracy but does not do what it says. The government passed the Budget of Rs 50 lakh crore in just 12 minutes. They always say Opposition parties have no interest. This happened for the first time that the government did not allow the Parliament to function.”
“The intention of the government was to waout the entire Budget session. We condemn this attitude. We are slowly heading towards dictatorship,” Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said.
On Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha as a member, Kharge took a dig at the ruling dispensation, said, “Rahul Gandhi was disqualified with lightning speed.”
Last month, a Surat court convicted Gandhi in a defamation case for his “all thieves have Modi surname” remarks at a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar in 2019. Later, he was disqualified from Lok Sabha as a member following his conviction in the case.
In response to a question on 2024 general elections, the Congress president said, “We will work unitedly.”
