Appoint special counsel in Adani case, Congress tells Modi
New Delhi, Sep 17 : Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "industrialist friend" Gautam Adani, the Congress on Monday asked the Centre to strongly contest the Adani group's plea in the Bombay High Court regarding an alleged Rs 29,000-crore scam of over-valuing coal imports.
The Congress, which has been seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the scam, demanded that the Modi government appoint a special counsel as the High Court is slated to hear on Wednesday a plea to seek quashing of all Letters Rogatory (LRs) issued by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence against the group.
Accusing the Centre of extending "undue favours" to the Adani group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that the DRI's request to the Central government for appointing a special counsel was being neglected.
"The Modi government keeps on asserting about its clean intentions. So, it should display that intention by accepting the DRI's request to field a special counsel to assert that the LRs are imperative to probe the group's complicity in the coal import scam," Ramesh told the media here.
The DRI had alleged that 40 companies, including those from the Adani group, had inflated price of coal imported from Indonesia so as to siphon money abroad and avail of higher power tariff compensation.
The group moved the High Court in August after a Singapore court rejected its plea for a stay to produce documents pertaining to coal imports.
Ramesh claimed that the Modi government's motto is "privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses", adding that probe into the group's financial irregularities had been stalled by the Centre.
"Modi's much touted slogan of ‘minimum government, maximum governance' has now given way to privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses wherein companies are allowed to make profits and recover their loses at the cost of public exchequer and the common people.
"Almost 80 per cent of India's coal imports is done by the Adani group. The DRI has indicted the group in the scam, yet the government is not showing any inclination to secure the documents that are imperative for probing this scam. There can be no bigger example of crony capitalism," said Ramesh.
He accused the BJP government in Gujarat of "working on the directions of the Modi regime to provide relief" to power companies owned by Adani, Tatas and Essar.
"Despite the Supreme Court ruling against the power companies demand to increase tariffs agreed upon in power purchase agreements (PPA), a state government appointed committee has recommended revision in the tariff structure.
"Because of this relief by the Gujarat government, the Adani, Tata and Essar groups will reap profit of Rs 1,30,000 crore in 30 years. The burden of this huge profit will be put on banks and consumers. This is nothing but privatisation of profits and nationalisation of losses," added Ramesh.
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“Full prepared..going to win,” Congress MP KC Venugopal ahead of Kerala polls
EC not functioning as a neutral institution: Venugopal
Congress MP K. C. Venugopal on Monday raised concerns over the election schedule announced by the Election Commission of India for the upcoming Kerala Assembly election, questioning the timing of the poll dates and alleging that the schedule leaves limited time for campaigning.
Speaking to news agency ANI in Delhi after the poll panel announced elections in five states and Union Territories, Venugopal said that the Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF) are fully prepared for the elections and confident of victory. At the same time, he questioned the pattern of dates announced by the Election Commission.
“We are fully prepared, we are going to win the elections... You can see how the Election Commission has set the dates. The first phase of elections is on the 9th, nominations are due until the 23rd, scrutiny is on the 24th, nominations can be withdrawn until the 26th, and after that, there are 11 days for campaigning,” he said.
“As for Kerala, there is Easter and Good Friday in the first week...The Election Commission could have announced the dates earlier... The counting date is on May 4th, so what was the point of holding elections in Kerala so early? What is their intention behind holding elections on the same day in Kerala, Puducherry, and Assam?... We are confident that we will win, but the people of the country are seeing the biased attitude of the Election Commission...,” he added.
He further stated that his party was ready for elections irrespective of the dates announced by the poll body.
“We are going to win the election. India's strategy has been set up. And we are all ready for winning this election. But one thing as far as declaring election, even though they are giving only for five days, we are going to win the election. We have no problem,” he said.
Detailing the poll schedule while questioning the time available for campaigning, he stated, “but you can see the pattern of date which the election commission announced. Yesterday they declared election, and today they notified us. The first phase of election on April 9th, filing of nomination will be over on the 23rd of this month, 24th scrutiny, 26th withdrawal of nomination. After 26, four plus seven, 11 days campaign.”
“As far as Kerala is concerned, April first week is a holy week. The holiday week means, Good Friday is there. Nobody will do anything on Good Friday. Easter is the big festival. These festivals are natural, you have to see that. Among the 11 days, working days, two, three days will go for holidays. Then hardly seven, eight days for campaigning in this election for candidates,” the Congress MP questioned.
The Congress leader said the Election Commission could have announced the dates earlier if there was a need for an early election schedule.
Questioning the urgency behind placing Kerala in the first phase of polling, he added that the counting date is much later.
“Which is the date of counting? Fourth May. Then what is the urgency of putting Kerala in the first phase without giving sufficient time for candidates? And putting Kerala, Puducherry, Assam together, what is the intention behind that?” Venugopal questioned.
He also alleged that the Election Commission was not functioning as a neutral institution.
“The Election commission is completely losing that capacity as a neutral player. You can see 14 of our prime minister's programs over and on the 15th they announce the election, 16th notification comes,” he said.
Venugopal further stated that such tactics would not affect the Congress’ prospects in the election.
“They think that this type of techniques and tactics, because of these techniques and tactics, UDF is going to lose, and Congress is going to lose. This is their complete dream only. This is not going to happen. We are very much confident at any cost, whether they are not giving any time also, we are going to win the election,” he said.
“But the people of India are watching this. The tricks of the election commission. To restrict the campaign, people of India are watching. This I want to bring into the notice of the nation. That's all,” Venugopal said.
The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for the Kerala Assembly election. Polling in the state will be held in a single phase on April 9 while the counting of votes is scheduled to take place on May 4.
