Parliament logjam: BJP to weather Congress’ Adani campaign, hopes for Opposition fissure
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, February 6: Parliament remained in logjam for third day in a row. Opposition stayed united to demand debate over the Adani share slump. Congress has hit the streets across the country to build campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party over the accusations of the crony capitalism and collusion with the Adani Group of companies.
The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned within minutes of assembly on Monday following the ruckus by the Opposition. The two Houses resumed sessions at 2 PM but there were adjourned for the day within a matter of minutes. The Opposition camp looked charged up. Leader of Opposition Mallikarjuna Kharge, who is also president of Congress, held the forte with the United Opposition.
The Opposition parties have stuck to their demands that the government should agree for an enquiry by the joint Parliamentary committee (JPC) in the Hindenburg Report on Adani Group of companies and subsequent meltdown of the share prices of the listed firms. The Opposition has also sought to build a plank that the government by way of crony capitalism has exposed the public money through the State Bank of India (SBI) and the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to the Adani Group.
However, the ruling BJP appeared unfazed, with the party leaders confident of finding a breakthrough in the impasse in the next few days to initiate debate over the President’s address to the joint session of Parliament. “Congress in its desperation is seeking to paralyse Budget session of Parliament on an issue which concerns the movement of the share prices even while the LIC remain profitable in its investment in the shares of the Adani group of companies, while the SBI lending is within the permissible limits,” said a senior BJP functionary.
The business advisory committee of the two Houses of Parliament had earlier agreed for an early conclusion of the first half of the Budget session of Parliament. “Now, since the Opposition has wasted three days and the debate on the President’s address has to be initiated and the motions of thanks have to be passed by both the Houses, the first half of the Budget session could very well be extended. The likelihood of taking up the debate amid din is also not ruled out,” added the BJP functionary.
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