India's parliament suspended temporarily after row over allegations against Adani group (updated)

Adani Total Gas

28/11/2024 06:45

(Adds quotes, background)
       NEW DELHI, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Both houses of Indian
parliament were suspended temporarily on Thursday within minutes
of opening as opposition lawmakers disrupted proceedings for the
third day this week seeking a discussion on allegations against
the Adani Group.
    U.S. authorities have accused Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar
Adani and managing director of Adani Green, Vneet S. Jaain, of
being part of a scheme to pay bribes of $265 million to secure
Indian solar power supply contracts, and misleading U.S.
investors during fund raises there.
    "We want a discussion on this in parliament. It is going to
be the third day that we are demanding a reply from the prime
minister" on the Adani issue, Manickam Tagore, a lawmaker from
the main opposition Congress party, which has been leading the
protests against the business group, told news agency ANI.
        Many of India's opposition parties accuse Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of favouring
Adani and blocking investigations against him in India,
accusations both have denied.
  
        Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been a vocal
critic of Adani, said Gautam Adani, 62, should be arrested.
  
        While the government has not made any comment on the
indictment, Modi's BJP has said it had no reason to defend
Adani, adding that the party was not against industrialists and
considered them partners in nation-building efforts.
  
        "Let him defend himself," BJP spokesperson Gopal Krishna
Agarwal said on Tuesday, adding that the law would take its
course.
  

 (Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by YP Rajesh)
 ((shilpa.jamkhandikar@thomsonreuters.com;))