Cong to ask three questions daily on Adani issue

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday said that it will ask three questions a day related to Adani issue to the Prime Minister. The Congress said that after Panama Papers leak no action was taken despite assurance from the Prime Minister.

Congress Communication In-charge Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday, “Amid the allegations against the Adani Group, the Modi government has maintained a loud silence which smacks of collusion. Starting today, the Congress party will pose three questions a day to the Prime Minister.”

Raising a question before the Prime Minister, Ramesh alleged, “In response to the Panama Papers expose on 4 April 2016, the Ministry of Finance announced that you had personally directed a multi-agency investigative group to monitor financial flows to and from offshore tax havens. Subsequently, at the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China on 5 September 2016, you stated: ‘We need to act to eliminate safe havens for economic offenders, track down and unconditionally extradite money launderers and break down the web of complex international regulations and excessive banking secrecy that hide the corrupt and their deeds.’ This leads to some questions that you and your government cannot hide from saying “HAHK (Hum Adani Ke Hain Kaun).”

“Vinod Adani, the brother of Gautam Adani, was named in the Panama Papers and the Pandora Papers as someone who operates offshore entities in the Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands. He is alleged to have engaged in ‘brazen stock manipulation’ and ‘accounting fraud’ via ‘a vast labyrinth of offshore shell entities’. You have spoken often about your sincerity and ‘niyat’ in fighting corruption and even subjected the nation to the heavy costs of demonetisation.

“What does the fact that a business entity you are well acquainted with faces serious allegations tell us about the quality and sincerity of your investigations?” he asked.

The Congress leader said, “Over the years you have misused agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence to intimidate your political opponents and to punish business houses that do not fall in line with your cronies’ financial interests.

“What action has been taken, if ever, to investigate the serious allegations made over the years against the Adani Group? Is there any hope of a fair and impartial investigation under you?” he said

“How is it possible that one of India’s largest business groups, one that has been allowed to build monopolies in airports and seaports, could have escaped serious scrutiny for so long despite persistent allegations? Other business groups have been harassed and raided for much less. Was the Adani Group essential to a dispensation that has profited from ‘anti-corruption’ rhetoric all of these years?” he asked.