Rift In India Bloc? TMC, SP Skip Opposition Protest Over Adani Issue In Parliament

New Delhi: Is INDIA Bloc facing a rift? The speculations turned rife as the Trinamool Congress and the Samajwadi Party once again on Thursday stayed away from the protest over the Gautam Adani bribery case held in the Parliament complex by the Congress and other opposition parties. However, Trinamool MP Kirti Azad claimed that the Opposition was united and the TMC had other issues to highlight in the Parliament.

“On the floor of the House we have the same strategy, but at the same time, we have other different issues to highlight,” Azad told India Today. Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav also indicated about the bloc being intact. “Where are we not together in protest? We are together,” he said, as quoted by India Today.

Congress and other opposition MPs continued their protest in Parliament on Thursday over the US indictment of Adani in a bribery and fraud case. The MPs, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, were seen sporting jackets that bearing the message: “Modi Adani Ek Hai, Adani safe hai.”

“PM Modi can’t get Adani investigated because if he does that, he would be getting himself investigated… Modi aur Adani ek hain,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters.

Priyanka Gandhi demanded a discussion on the issue in Parliament. She also demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress and some other opposition parties have also raised the demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the dealings of the Adani Group.

However, the TMC has claimed that it wants a discussion on issues like price rise, unemployment, and deprivation of funds to the opposition states.

US prosecutors accused Adani of promising bribes to Indian government officials for securing solar power contracts. The Adani Group has dismissed all allegations as “baseless”.

Parliament proceedings have been stalled amid protests by opposition parties over the Adani issue since last week. The opposition parties have also been protesting against violence in Sambhal during a mosque survey.