Parliament Suspended Temporarily After Row Over Adani Bribery Case
NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Both houses of Indian parliament were suspended temporarily on Thursday within minutes of opening as opposition lawmakers disrupted proceedings for the third day this week seeking a discussion on allegations against the Adani Group.
U.S. authorities have accused Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani and managing director of Adani Green, Vneet S. Jaain, of being part of a scheme to pay bribes of $265 million to secure Indian solar power supply contracts, and misleading U.S. investors during fund raises there.
“We want a discussion on this in parliament. It is going to be the third day that we are demanding a reply from the prime minister” on the Adani issue, Manickam Tagore, a lawmaker from the main opposition Congress party, which has been leading the protests against the business group, told news agency ANI.
Many of India’s opposition parties accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP of favoring Adani and blocking investigations against him in India, accusations both have denied.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been a vocal critic of Adani, said Gautam Adani, 62, should be arrested.
While the government has not made any comment on the indictment, Modi’s BJP has said it had no reason to defend Adani, adding that the party was not against industrialists and considered them partners in nation-building efforts.
“Let him defend himself,” BJP spokesperson Gopal Krishna Agarwal said, adding that the law would take its course.
Jayananda Hiranandani
/
The disruption of proceedings is not an uncommon symptom in the Parliament and State Legislatures. How is the tradition on non-cooperation, which Indian National Congress started over a century ago, responsible for this is a good question to explore as it is a negation of democracy. A constitutional method would be that MPs who oppose something resign and by the by-election show popular support. A good example of this method was of Charles Bradlaugh in Britain who would not take oath as MP in the name of God as he was an atheist. Also, the MPs(MLAs and PLCs) are talking amongst themselves when someone is the speaker, which is not good. Nowadays most of them are educated.
November 28, 2024Mohanan Nair
/
It is very unfortunate that the Indian MPs come to Parliament merely to disturb the proceedings or for walk out instead of for a healthy discussion. It does not have a matured LoP either.
November 29, 2024