भारत

PM Narendra Modi behind Adani wall, Opposition regroups

The Centre on Tuesday continued to demand an apology from Rahul for asserting a threat to Indian democracy while the Opposition pressed for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the Adani controversy, stalling Parliament for the second consecutive day.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned without transacting any business while the Rajya Sabha functioned smoothly only for an hour — to celebrate Indians’ achievements at the Oscars.

The dominant view in the Opposition is that yielding at this stage would amount to letting Prime Minister Narendra Modi off the hook despite serious evidence of wrongdoing to favour and shield his friend Gautam Adani. Most of the 16 major Opposition parties want to intensify the protests.

Among the ideas on the table is a public appeal signed by Opposition MPs explaining why a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) is necessary to investigate the whole gamut of the Adani affair.

The other ideas include a march to the Enforcement Directorate office and a massive protest on Parliament’s premises. Many parties believe it is necessary to send out a message that the ED has been selectively targeting Opposition politicians.

The strategy will be finalised on Wednesday at a meeting of 16 parties called by the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge. The intent is clear: get aggressive in both communication and action.

The entire Opposition believes that the BJP has built up a false case against Rahul, accusing him of denigrating India and its democracy during his UK tour, to divert the nation’s attention from the Adani controversy and the misuse of central agencies.

Opposition MPs are convinced that Rahul had said nothing in the UK about the threat to Indian democracy that he had not asserted in India multiple times before.

As for the charge that Rahul has invited Europe and America to intervene in India’s internal affairs, they believe it’s a concocted one.

Many Opposition leaders say the government has been unreasonable in demanding an apology from Rahul for expressing concern at the health of democracy in India. They see this as an indication that the government will not tolerate criticism in any form.

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said the only relevant issue was a fair and thorough investigation into the Adani controversy and that the rest was part of the government’s diversionary tactic to escape the real issues.

K.C. Venugopal, Congress general secretary in charge of organisation, tweeted: “Instead of attacking Rahul Gandhi for speaking the truth, the Prime Minister must answer why he made such anti-India statements on his foreign trips.

“His words insulted the hard work of four generations of Indians who transformed a post-colonial country into a 21st Century global giant.”

Congress leaders have dug up several remarks made by Prime Minister Modi during his foreign tours that they believe belittled India. In one such statement, Modi contrasts his “Skill India” mission with the country’s earlier identity as a “Scam India”.

Youth Congress chief B.V. Srinivas led a big protest in Delhi on Tuesday against the government’s refusal to order investigations into Adani’s affairs. He alleged that India’s rules and regulations had been set aside to protect a businessman who happened to be a friend of the Prime Minister.