Adani row: Uproar in Parliament over Kharge's remark; Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal slams 'repeated insinuations' against PM
1 min read . Updated: 08 Feb 2023, 01:33 PM IST
PremiumWealth of one of the closest friends of PM Modi increased by 13 times in 2.5 years. In 2014, it was ₹50,000 crore while in 2019 it became ₹1 lakh crore, asked Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge
The Adani-Hindenburg issue that has been rocking the stock market till now, has now reached the Parliament. The opposition has attacked the government led by PM Narendra Modi, alleging Gautam Adani is their ‘friend’. Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge today questioned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that it needs to be found out whether the fundamentals of the Gautam Adani Group are strong or weak. Ruckus erupted in the Rajya Sabha following Mallikarjun Kharge's 'mouni baba' comment. The Budget Session of Parliament has witnessed a ruckus mainly over the Adani-Hindenburg row since it started.
A January 24 report by Hindenburg Research alleged that the Adani Group had weak business fundamentals, and was involved in stock manipulation and accounting fraud, among others.
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"In 2014, PM Modi said na khaunga na khane dunga. Now I want to ask why is he letting some industrialists to 'eat'. The wealth of one of the closest friends of PM Modi increased by 13 times in 2.5 years. In 2014, it was ₹50,000 crore while in 2019 it became ₹1 lakh crore. I don't know what magic happened that his assets touched ₹12 lakh crore in just two years," Kharge said amid protests from the BJP MPs.
BJP MP Piyush Goyal said what Kharge is talking of a purported wealth that does not have any merit. "That is a share market calculation. The government has no role in that," Goyal said.
Reacting to Kharge's comment, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. “It is completely infused with insinuation against the honourable Prime Minister and that is what we are objecting to."
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, "If I speak the truth, is it anti-national? I'm not anti-national. I'm more patriotic than anyone here. I'm a 'bhoomi-putra'...You're looting the country& telling me that I'm anti-national."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to reply on Motion of Thanks to the President's address in the Lok Sabha today. His address comes a day after senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke on the Motion of Thanks to President Murmu, during which he questioned the Centre for the rise of Adani.
