Adani crisis snowballs into political row as India's opposition seek high-profile probe

The ongoing controversy around Indian conglomerate Adani Group has now started snowballing in the country's political arena with the opposition parties demanding a joint parliamentary committee or a probe monitored by the Supreme Court into the crisis.

On Thursday (2), Mallikarjun Kharge, president of the opposition Indian National Congress and leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha or Upper House of the parliament, said the opposition parties have called for day-to-day reporting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) or the SC-monitored probe into the issue concerning public money.

"Keeping public interest in mind, we want a thorough probe into the Adani issue either by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) or a Supreme Court-monitored probe. There should also be day-to-day reporting of the investigation on the issue," Kharge told reporters.

Earlier, leaders of several opposition parties met in the parliament and decided to raise the issue in both houses of the parliament.

Several opposition members, including Kharge, also gave adjournment notices to discuss the Adani issue, but they were rejected by the chair.

Both houses were adjourned till 2 pm local time after the opposition raised an uproar thereafter. "Both Houses of Parliament adjourned today till 2pm because government did not agree to combined Opposition demand for an investigation into forced investments by LIC, SBI and other public institutions that have lost huge value in recent days endangering savings of crores of Indians," All India Congress Committee general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter.

Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters that people are panicking as their money has been invested in public sector banks and institutions which have lended to Adani.

"People thronging public sector banks are being asked to go back... people thought their money is safe in public sector banks and institutions," he said.

Keshav Rao of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) said nine parties had given adjournment notices in Rajya Sabha, but the chairman said the notices were not in order.

There is no proforma as far adjournment notices are concerned, he noted. "In the absence of a proforma, you cannot teach us. What is a bigger or more serious issue than this? This is a matter of socialisation of losses," he said.

Trinamool Congress's Shantanu Sen said the opposition's demand for a discussion on the matter under Rule 267 is "rational" and should be allowed.

Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook allows for suspension of day's business to debate the issue suggested by a Member CPM leader Elamaram Kareem alleged that industrialist Gautam Adani and his company have looted the country.

"LIC and SBI money is on the line under government patronage. This is a major scandal and a burning issue for the common people and warrants an investigation," he said.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh asked, "Why is the government silent on this mega scandal? Adani is the kingpin on whose money the BJP works." Shiv Sena's (Thackeray) Priyanka Chaturvedi and DMK leader Kanimozhi were also present at the opposition meeting.

(PTI)