PM Modi using Parliament as 'washing machine' for scams: Congress chief Kharge

Warning that "people will get rid of" a government that does not work democratically, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday attacked the BJP on the Adani Group issue, saying that the expunction of remarks against the conglomerate and Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Parliament's records will not clear anyone's name.

In his first press conference after taking over as party president, Kharge alleged that the Modi government was trying to hide the truth and stall an inquiry by a Joint Parliamentary Committee on Adani issue while the Opposition is clear that questions need to be asked inside Parliament as well as outside.

Raising around a dozen questions, Kharge said the government will have to answer the questions as the issue involves common man's money. His comments came on a day Congress and other Opposition parties walked out of Rajya Sabha after Kharge was not allowed to raise the issue of expunction of his remarks during the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.

Also Read: Kharge writes to VP Dhankhar over removal of remarks on PM, Adani from Parliament records

"I had written to the Rajya Sabha Chairman over expunging of my remarks. By merely expunging the remarks, the allegations made by people and the media will not clear anyone's name," he said.

Asking whether it was a crime to seek a JPC probe into a "big scam" like this, Kharge said he was only raising "some questions" but what was the reason behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government not even allowing anyone to raise the word 'Adani' in Parliament. "Modi-ji is now using our Parliament like a washing machine to wash scams of his friend," Kharge tweeted after the press conference.

Kharge said it is lawmakers' jobs to protect people's money and ask the government questions that impact their lives.

"Should there not be an inquiry into the Adani scam? Shouldn't the falling value of LIC's money, invested in Adani's companies, be questioned? Shouldn't questions be asked about the Rs 82,000-crore loan given to Adani by SBI and other banks? Shouldn't questions be asked as to why Rs 525 crore of LIC and SBI were invested in Adani FPO despite more than 32 percent fall in Adani's shares?" he said.

Kharge also said questions need to be asked as to why the value of LIC and SBI shares fell by more than Rs one lakh crore in the stock market, how crores of rupees were pouring in from tax havens to Adani companies and whether rating agencies have downgraded Adani companies. The Congress president also asked whether Modi secured contracts for Adani in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Also Read: Congress, some opposition MPs stage walkout from Rajya Sabha

"Why doesn't the Modi government initiate an investigation against Adani? What is the reason that Modi-ji and his entire government does not allow even utter the word ‘Adani’ in the Parliament? What is the reason that RBI, SEBI, ED, SFIO, Corporate Affairs Ministry, Income Tax, CBI, all have suffered paralysis, and have closed their eyes in the name of investigation against Adani?" he added.

Asked about expunction of Rahul Gandhi's remarks, he said, "you can well imagine what is going on in the name of democracy." Kharge said he had been floor leader in Lok Sabha and Deputy Leader in Karnataka Assembly for several years but never his remarks were expunged.

To a query whether he felt that the Opposition is dealt differently by the Chairman, Kharge said, "I don't want to say anything, you have seen for yourself. If I say something they will say I am raising questions on the Chairman. I have great respect for him. We want parliamentary democracy and that is why we are moving with sensitivity."