In a scathing attack on the BJP-led Centre over the Adani row, TMC MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday said the businessman had 'topi-pehnau-ed (duped)' the government. To press her argument, Moitra brought two birthday caps in Lok Sabha and alleged that a famous person whose name starts with 'A' and ends with 'I', who stinks of crony capitalism, had duped everyone, PTI reported.
Participating in the debate on the 'Motion of Thanks' to the President's address, Moitra said, "As an ex-investment banker, I want companies to thrive. But I want honest, hardworking Indian companies to strive and not trapeze artists. As an MP colleague of mine likes to say the Chair always asked me not to get angry. I will not be angry for what I have to say. I will only say that we've all been fooled."
The Krishnanagar MP also demanded a thorough investigation into the alleged irregularities in Adani Group.
Moitra said a company in the infrastructure sector makes "five to 15 per cent returns" if they are lucky and if they get everything right, but the multiple with which "company A" was trading was "absolutely outrageous".
"Even Google, Amazon and Microsoft don't trade on such multiples," she further said.
"Honourable home minister, he has topi-pehnau-ed you...he is getting security clearances from the ministry of home affairs...Madam, finance minister he has topi-pehnau-ed you," the TMC leader said.
"This man has been allowed to use LIC, SBI to get money as and when he likes. Honourable civil aviation, he has 'topi-pehnau-ed', you shipping minister, he has topi-pehna-ed you petroleum minister, he has 'topi-pehnau-ed' oil PSUs...power minister he has topi-pehnau-ed you," PTI quoted Moitra as saying.
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Stock prices of Adani Group's companies have been sharply declining ever since US-based short seller Hindenburg Research came out with a scathing report accusing the firm of stock manipulation and accounting fraud. Adani Group has vigorously denied the allegations.
After Moitra ended her speech, ruckus erupted in Lok Sabha after she was heard using certain objectionable words. The TMC leader made the remarks after finishing her speech and when TDP MP K Ram Mohan Naidu was addressing the Lower House.
BJP raised strong objections to Moitra's remark and sought an apology from her. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi asked Moitra to apologise out of morality and said if she does not, it would reflect on her culture, PTI reported.
Later, Moitra also tweeted the video of her speech and captioned it, "Please watch …monkey brigade out in full force to shut me up."