Cong accuses Adani Group of having links with Chinese firm; Rijiju responds

The Congress on Thursday accused the Adani Group of having business links with a Chinese company in all its infrastructure projects in roads, railways, ports and airport sectors, saying it posed a threat to national security.

The remarks prompted Law Minister Kiren Rijiju to hit back at the opposition party.

Responding to a tweet by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Rijiju said, "Do not comment on sensitive matters. The Congress has no moral right to speak about Arunachal Pradesh."

Ramesh had alleged that business tycoon Gautam Adani has business links with Chinese citizens. He wondered whether it was compromising national security.

The law minister also shared a video in which the then defence minister A K Antony is purportedly telling Lok Sabha that for long India had a policy not to develop borders as an undeveloped border was safer than a developed border.

"First respond to this reality," Rijiju, who represents Arunachal Pradesh in the Lok Sabha, said.

Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the company, fully owned by a Chinese national -- Chang Chian Ting -- was a subcontractor for the Adani Group and is a partner of Adani's brother.

The Adani Group has not made any comments on the charges made by the Congress yet.

The firm had earlier denied indulging in wrongdoing.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also cited a media report and said on Twitter, "PMC Projects - Pradhan Mantri Chinese' Projects?"

"Why are India's critical ports, airstrips, railway tracks and electricity lines being built and controlled by a Chinese company?" he asked.

Shrinate said China made several transgressions along the border on the Indian side and killed 20 of our soldiers.

It changed names of places in Arunachal Pradesh thrice, but the links that a Chinese-owned company has with the Adani Group shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's special relationship with China. "This is totally anti-national," she said.

"If this is not a threat to national security, then what is?" she added.

The Congress spokesperson further alleged that Modi gave a clean chit to China because of "this relationship" and that is why, he has not broken his silence yet on either China or the Adani issue.

"The veil now stands lifted," she said, and asked, "When will the government hold a probe into the Chinese company?"

Shrinate also asked the government to find the source of Rs 20,000 crore alleged to have been found deposited in "shell companies" of the Adani Group.

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter, "Everyday the reason for the PM's eloquent silence on Chinese is becoming evident. This is largely because of Adani's intimate links to China. We had mentioned this first on March 3 in the 'Hum Adanike Hain Kaun' series and today there are further revelations."

Congress leader Amitabh Dubey also said the Congress has asked several questions on China and the Adani issue, but the government is yet to break its silence.

"Now this is an issue of national security and they will have to reply," he said.