On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, blamed the altercation between lawmakers outside the Parliament on the BJP’s purported attempt to steer clear of the Adani Group’s prosecution in the US.
The Congress MP charged that the BJP was attempting to divert public attention from the judicial proceedings against “Gautam Adani, a friend of Narendra Modi” by establishing “a new distraction.”
Rahul Gandhi was accused by the BJP on Thursday of pushing and hurting its MP Pratap Sarangi outside the Parliament during rival protests by the ruling party and the opposition over “insults to BR Ambedkar.” Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge was allegedly pressured by BJP MPs, according to the Congress. Police have received complaints about the altercation from both parties.
Rahul Gandhi said at a press conference in the national capital, “They have started a new distraction. All MPs were going to the Parliament House peacefully. The BJP MPs were standing in front of us on the stairs of the Parliament House… they blocked our way… this is a new way of creating a distraction. The main issue they are trying to hide is that there is a case against Narendra Modi’s friend Adani in the United States… he has been indicted there, and Modi is selling India to Adani… this is the main issue and the BJP doesn’t want a discussion on this”.
Rahul Gandhi referred to the BJP as “anti-Ambedkar” in reference to Amit Shah’s statement made in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
He stated, “We have been saying from the beginning that the thinking of the BJP and the RSS is anti-Constitution, anti-Ambedkar”.
Mallikarjun Kharge, the head of the Congress, denounced the attitude of the BJP.
He said, “What happened today… We never intended to disturb the proceedings of both the Houses. We protested every day for 14 days, and the main topic was the Adani issue. But during the debate on 75 years of adoption of the Constitution, Amit Shah out of nowhere insulted Dr BR Ambedkar. He said ‘if you (opposition) had taken the name of God so many times instead of Ambedkar, you would have got heaven for seven lives’. If this is the mindset of a political party or a leader, then it is condemnable”.
BJP MP Pratap Sarangi sustained an injury to his head and was hospitalised.
Which accusations are made against the Adani Group?
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the US Department of Justice filed a civil complaint and an indictment against chairman Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and an official in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York on November 20, 2024.
Gautam Adani is accused of participating in a scheme to allegedly bribe Indian government officials for contracts on solar energy projects totaling more than $250 million.
Additionally, Adani and his officials have been charged with lying and misleading US lenders and investors about the company’s anti-bribery pledges.
The corporate giant referred to the accusations as “baseless.”
“The allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied,” the organization stated in a statement.
Rahul Gandhi has consistently accused the Narendra Modi government and the Adani Group of engaging in crony capitalism over the past few years.
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