Congress leader Jairam Ramesh | Photo Credit: ANI
Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the alleged “stock scam” of the Adani Group, the Congress has decided to pose three questions to Mr Modi every day on the issue. Opposition parties, meanwhile, will sit together in Parliament on Monday to chart the next course of protests. The budget session saw disruption last week as the opposition demanded a probe by a joint parliamentary committee or a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the issue. Opposition MPs will also protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Parliament on Monday against the Centre’s silence.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said in New Delhi that the Center has maintained a “stupendous silence”, which smacks of collusion. He said that Mr. Modi’s silence on the scam had forced the party to launch several campaigns under the name HAHK – Gunjan Adani who are,
In response to this Mr. Ramesh said Disclosure of Panama PapersOn April 4, 2016, the Union Finance Ministry announced that the Prime Minister had personally directed a multi-agency investigative group to monitor financial flows from offshore tax havens. Referring to Mr Modi’s statement on abolition of safe tax havens given at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China on 5 September 2016, Mr Ramesh said the Center cannot hide from saying “ Gunjan Adani who are,
Read this also | Explained | Why did Adani Group close its FPO?
As to the first question, Mr Ramesh said Gautam Adani’s brother Vinod Adani was named in the Panama Papers and Pandora Papers as a person operating offshore entities in the Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands. “What does the fact that a business entity you are intimately familiar with is facing serious allegations tell us about the quality and integrity of your investigation?” He asked.
In his second question, Mr Ramesh said the Center used federal agencies to intimidate political opponents and punish business houses that did not toe the line. “What action, if ever, has been taken to investigate the serious allegations leveled against the Adani Group over the years? Is there any hope of a fair and impartial inquiry under your leadership?” He asked.
The Congress general secretary asked how it was possible that one of India’s biggest business conglomerates, which has been allowed to build a monopoly in airports and seaports, could escape serious scrutiny for so long despite persistent allegations. “Other business groups were harassed and raided for much less. Was the Adani group essential to a system that has benefited from ‘anti-corruption’ rhetoric all these years?” Mr Ramesh asked.
PTI adds:
India’s economic image not affected: Finance Minister
In her statement on the issue, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that India’s economic image has not been affected due to Adani Group’s recent decision to withdraw Rs 20,000 crore FPO amid allegations of financial impropriety.
The Finance Minister said that in the last two days only the foreign exchange reserves have increased by $ 8 billion.
Ms Sitharaman told reporters in New Delhi, “… our macroeconomic fundamentals or the image of our economy, none of these have been affected. Yes, FPOs (follow-on public offers) come and FIIs (foreign institutional investors) Get out.” Delhi.
The minister said that every market has ‘ups and downs’, but the rally in the last few days establishes the fact that the perception of both India and its underlying strength remains intact.