Adani Scam has become fodder for the Opposition to take on the Modi Govt in the Lok Sabha 2024 Elections
The Opposition is using the Adani Scam to take on the Modi Govt for the Lok Sabha 2024 elections. The opposition led by the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is constantly bringing up the Adani issue on every platform, even on the global stage.
Congress questioned PM Modi’s sluggishness in investigating several cases related to the Adani group and wondered whether Modi govt is protecting Indian business tycoon.
Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh alleged, “In a Lok Sabha reply on March 13, 2023, the Finance Minister (State) stated that an investigation into alleged over-invoicing by the Adani group of imported Indonesian coal, being conducted by India’s premier anti-smuggling agency, the DRI, had ‘not reached finality as the information sought from exporting countries through execution of letters rogatory is under litigation’.”
He further added, “In 2016, the DRI had reported that 40 Indian companies including Adani Enterprises, Adani Wilmar, Adani Power Maharashtra and Adani Power Rajasthan were over-invoicing imported Indonesian coal with the goal of ‘siphoning off money abroad’ and ‘to avail higher power tariff compensation based on artificially inflated cost of the imported coal’. This was carried out through intermediaries in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai and the British Virgin Islands.”
Congress recalled that the minister of state’s Lok Sabha reply mentioned that the DRI had concluded its investigation into imports of power equipment by the Adani conglomerate and submitted a report “before the relevant judicial authorities”.
It is a Saturday but that has not deterred us from putting out HAHK (Hum Adanike Hain Kaun)-32, a set of 3 questions to the PM directly on the Adani MahaMegaScam from which the BJP is desperately trying to divert attention.
Chuppi Todiye Pradhan Mantriji pic.twitter.com/68gZhxJDj1
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) March 18, 2023
Congress asked, “Electrogen was controlled by Vinod Adani (brother of Gautam Adani) via the Mauritius-based Electrogen Infra Holding. Why has it taken more than 8 years for the DRI report to be finished and will the Modi Govt permit the DRI to make its potentially shocking contents public? Or is this another instance of Govt allowing their cronies to siphon (off) Rs 5,468 crore in inflated capital costs, to be eventually borne by consumers and taxpayers?”
Why did the JPC when the Supreme Court appointed a Committee?
The Congress said the mandate of the committee set up by the Supreme Court on the Adani-Hindenburg issue was limited to the violation of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) laws and only a Joint Parliamentary Committee can make the government answerable. The party said it would continue its demand for a JPC when the Parliament reconvenes on March 13.
A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is formed when a motion is adopted by one house and is supported or agreed upon by the other house. It has the power to arrest any Minister, except the Prime Minister.
During the JPC probe, no political party should be allowed to withdraw support of the Government if they do so the party should get automatically banned forever without any appeal and they should be debarred from contesting any public or private elections for the next 25 years.
Is Congress’s return in the 2024 elections possible?
Congress seems to be preparing for the Lok Sabha elections ignoring state elections as Congress’ performance in several states is not up to the mark, they even haven’t tried harder like in Gujarat and Meghalaya. But Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is taking the difference from veteran Congressmen, many of whom had left the party.
Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra was hailed by many political experts and many politicians, influential personalities and celebrities participated in it. Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, M.K. Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi and Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray’s participation in the Yatra was a message for the BJP. But the way Gandhi handled the Adani issue may backfire on the electoral front. Gandhi had taken the Adani scam issue to the international platform and got heavily trolled by Indians.
Even a senior citizen at London’s event snubbed Rahul Gandhi by reminding him of the former PM Indira Gandhi’s words. On the political front, BJP may have asked Gandhi to apologize for defaming India abroad, but the consequences of such statements can be drastic for Congress. The impression that Bharat Jodo Yatra had made on voters’ minds was appealing but these kinds of statements on the global stage can impact the voters who may want to return to Congress.
Gandhi’s demand for probing into the relationship of PM Modi with Indian businessman Gautam Adani can make a dent in BJP’s empire. The opposition parties are now united on this demand and Adani’s fall can be linked to Modi’s Govt fall in the future. But to make it possible electorally is a herculean task for the Congress, as the nationalist fervour of the voters is doubled now.
