Congress MP Manickam Tagore moves adjournment notice to discuss Adani issue

On the fifth day of the ongoing winter session in Parliament, Congress MP B Manickam Tagore on Monday morning moved an adjournment motion notice to discuss the need for investigating allegations levelled by the US Justice Department against Billionaire Gautam Adani in connection with a "bribery and corruption." He cites "public interest" as the justification to move the adjournment motion.

"I hereby seek leave to move an adjournment motion to discuss a matter of urgent public importance, namely the recent allegations of corruption, bribery, and securities fraud involving the Adani Group and its leadership," Tagore wrote in a letter addressed to the Secretary General of Lok Sabha. 

  Tagore, the whip of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, accused the Union government of not initiating an investigation into the Adani Group despite "evidence and international scrutiny."

"Despite mounting evidence and international scrutiny, the Indian government has not initiated a probe into the Adani Group. This inaction raises serious questions about the government's commitment to transparency, justice, and its independence from corporate influence," the letter read.

The Congress MP provided "public interest" as the justification to move the adjournment motion, saying that citizens have the right to know whether their government was "protecting corporate malpractices."

"Citizens have the right to know whether their government is protecting corporate malpractice and whether state resources and policies are being misused to favour powerful conglomerates," Tagore said.

Demanding an investigation be carried out by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and other relevant law enforcement agencies as per Indian laws, Tagore argued that there must be public disclosure of the investigation to ensure transparency.

"It is therefore the responsibility of Indian law enforcement agencies to act on the evidence, as Indian citizens and entities fall within the ambit of our legal framework," the letter read.

Meanwhile, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP TR Baalu also filed an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the crop damage and properties due to unprecedented rainfall and heavy flooding brought by Cyclone Fengal in the districts of Villuppuram, Cudalore, Chengalpattu of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Both houses faced brief sessions in the past week following ruckus amid the opposition's demand to discuss Adani indictment.

The first session of the winter Parliament commenced on November 25, with both Houses getting adjourned fairly early due to disruptions. The winter session will go on till December 20.