Opposition’s Attempt to Raise Adani Indictment Issue in Rajya Sabha Leads to Adjournment
New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha proceedings were briefly adjourned on Monday after opposition parties, led by the Congress, sought to raise a discussion on the indictment of Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and others in a US court. The charges relate to allegations of paying bribes to secure solar power supply contracts.
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar disallowed 13 notices served under Rule 267, including seven that specifically called for a discussion on the US indictment, which involves allegations of USD 265 million in bribes. Despite the disallowance, Congress and Left parties persisted, leading to a 15-minute adjournment of the House.
Following the reading of obituary references for former MPs, Dhankhar announced that he had received the notices but was not persuaded to accept them. Leader of Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, who spearheaded the push for a discussion on the Adani case, stated that the issue was crucial, as it was tarnishing the country’s global image, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued to support Adani. Dhankhar, however, ordered that Kharge’s remarks be excluded from the official record.
The opposition’s demand for a discussion also included issues like the ongoing violence in Manipur, clashes in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, and the flood crisis in Wayanad, Kerala. The Adani Group has firmly denied the charges in the US indictment, labeling them as baseless.
