A Day after countering the Opposition, which has led an unrelenting attack on the government on the Adani issue, in the Lok Sabha, PM Modi is set to speak in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The PM had in the Lok Sabha deflected the criticism against his government by highlighting the stellar performance of startups and listing UPA-era scams.
PM Narendra Modi In the Lok Sabha on Wednesday did not mention business tycoon Gautam Adani but tried to deflect the Opposition’s allegations of crony capitalism and corruption by listing out UPA-era scams and India’s stellar performance on his watch. (Photo: PTI)
By India Today Web Desk: A day after countering the Opposition’s unrelenting attack on the government on the Adani issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to speak in the Rajya Sabha at 2 pm on Thursday.
In the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, PM Modi did not mention business tycoon Gautam Adani but tried to deflect the Opposition’s allegations of crony capitalism and corruption by listing out UPA-era scams and India’s stellar performance on his watch.
A continuation of that counter-attack by the prime minister is expected in the Upper House today when he replies to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.
Shares of Adani Enterprises and other Adani Group companies have faced a rout on the stock markets after US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research levelled several charges against the group.
On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi had accused the Modi government of bending rules to benefit industrialist Gautam Adani and questioned their relationship and asked how the tycoon bagged many overseas business contacts. Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Wednesday demanded that the charges be investigated by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC).
Governments don’t usually agree to a JPC probe because the formation of such a panel is widely seen as a political climbdown and embarrassment for the ruling party. JPCs also comprise members from opposition parties who can question those in power.
In his speech, PM Modi didn’t refer to Adani or his business group but he did say that the trust reposed in him by crores of Indians was his “protective shield”, which couldn’t be breached by abuse and allegations from his detractors.
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Even as chants of ‘Adani-Adani’ from the Opposition benches were heard, PM Modi also talked about India’s large growing startup ecosystem and over 100 unicorns created during the Covid-19 pandemic itself, in remarks seen as a staunch defence of India’s young business and entrepreneur community doing its bit for nation-building. Many saw, in PM Modi’s speech, a strong refusal to even acknowledge the allegations levelled against him.
After PM Modi’s speech, Rahul Gandhi questioned his “silence” over the Adani row and asked why he did not promise a probe. It is likely that the fireworks would continue in Parliament even on Thursday.
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The Rajya Sabha Buildup
Members of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Shiv Sena (Thackeray) had earlier staged a walkout, protesting as their adjournment notices on the issue were denied by the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
PM Modi was present in the House during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, which was used by the Opposition to the hilt to attack the government on the Adani issue. The debate on the Motion of Thanks was concluded on Wednesday.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address at 2 pm in Rajya Sabha today,” Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar had informed the Upper House. President Droupadi Murmu had addressed a joint sitting of both Parliament on January 31.
Modi’s Lok Sabha Salvo
PM Modi attacked the Congress-led UPA by referring to the 2G, Coalgate, cash-for-votes and Commonwealth Games scams. PM Modi also spoke about the defence scams under Congress-led governments and called the decade between 2004 and 2014 “The Lost Decade”.
PM Modi said that the 10 years of UPA between 2004 to 2014 saw the highest number of corruption cases in the history of Independent India. That decade also saw terrorist forces rear their heads. He said that India lost its global standing in those 10 years. “That decade will be known as the lost decade,” said Modi.
PM Modi also listed the achievements of the government and said India was a country that the whole world was looking at with hope.
Opposition’s Unrelenting Attack
Opposition MPs, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, TMC’s Mahua Moitra and RJD’s Manoj Jha, had earlier attacked the Modi-led government over the Adani issue.
Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday levelled the charges that the Modi government had bent rules to benefit Adani. He also wanted to know what PM Modi’s ties were with the industrialist.
TMC’s Mahua Moitra had launched a stinging attack on the government in the Lok Sabha over the Adani row on Tuesday, saying “A, the billionaire businessman,” has ‘topi pehnau-ed’ or duped the country.
RJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha also demanded a probe by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) into the alleged issues in the Adani Group highlighted by US firm Hindenburg Research.
