Leaders of the INDIA bloc including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday staged a protest at the Parliament premises here over the issue related to billionaire businessman Gautam Adani.
However, INDIA bloc allies Samajwadi Party (SP), Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Aam Aadmi party (AAP) were missing in the protest.
Notably, Adani was indicted by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for alleged bribery. The Adani Group denied the allegations made by the US DoJ and the US SEC and said all possible legal recourse will be sought.
The Opposition MPs holding placards which read “Hum Ek Hain” (We are one) shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Adani.
Reiterating its demand for a discussion over the matter in the Parliament, they said, “We want justice”. During the protest, two of the Opposition MPs were seen wearing the masks of the Prime Minister and Adani.
The Leader of Opposition in the Lower House staged a satirical play. He was seen questioning the parliamentarians who adorned the masks of Modi and Adani.
In response to a question by Gandhi to the MP adorning the mask of Adani on what is going on these days, he said pointing to his colleague wearing the mask of Modi, he does whatever he says to him.
Earlier, Gandhi had accused the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre of protecting Adani and called for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the matter.
“You think Adani is going to accept the charges? Obviously, he is going to deny the charges. The point is he (Adani) has to be arrested as we have said,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha in a post on X wrote, “BJP’s conspiracy to divert attention cannot distract the country from real issues.”