New Delhi: Congress on Monday bashed PM Narendra Modi-led Central government over its failure in constituting a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Adani row and on the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as Lok Sabha MP. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge went all attacking during a media address in Parliament after both Houses got adjourned following a ruckus.
Here Are Top Points From Kharge's Presser
- During his address, Kharge said that they were dressed in black because PM Modi was destroying the democracy in the country bit by bit. He said, "Why are we here in black clothes? We want to show that PM Modi is ending democracy in the country. He first finished autonomous bodies, then they put up their own govt everywhere by threatening those who had won polls. Then they used ED, CBI to use bend those who didn't bow."
- Kharge said that in the last two and a half years, Adani's income increased exponentially asking how he got so much wealth. He said that if someone can earn so much in a short time, then let others also know about it. He said the per capita income of the people in the country is not increasing with the rate at which the income of rich people is growing.
- He claimed that all the opposition parties are asking that a JPC should be set up to probe the Adani issue and if the government is not willing to do, it means there's something wrong in the entire Adani matter. "Why are they afraid of JPC, who are they afraid of," Kharge asked and added, "jo darte hain wo kabi na kabhi marte bhi hai(those who fear, definitely die someday)".
- Recalling all the questions that Rahul Gandhi raised in the Lok Sabha on the Adani issue, Mallikarjun Kharge said that Rahul Gandhi asked PM Modi why he takes Adani with him, why he allows him to meet other leaders and the business community when on tour, and how Adani reaches where the Prime Minister has an official visit. Kharge alleged that the Centre was fearful of answering these questions and instead chose to disqualify Rahul Gandhi to save itself.
- Kharge took a jibe at the Centre and said that JPC will eventually have more members from the ruling dispensation and still they are afraid of it. He claimed that all parties have come together to ask for the JPC on it.
On Rahul Gandhi's Disqualification
- Alleging the involvement of the Centre in Rahul Gandhi's disqualification, Kharge said that the defamation case was filed against Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat while he made the remarks in Karnataka. He said, "It was done to use their own machinery against Rahul Gandhi."
- He said that Rahul Gandhi was deliberately handed the two-year term so that he could be disqualified and the BJP did so by asking the Lok Sabha speaker to do so with lightning speed.