New Delhi:Amid a Parliament stand-off over his recent remarks related to Indian democracy in London, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday expressed doubts that he would be allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha on Friday. The PM feared the Adani issue and was therefore trying to distract attention from the controversy, he said.
“I went to Parliament this morning with the idea of putting what I have said, what I feel on the floor of the house. Four ministers have raised allegations against me in Parliament House. It is my right to be allowed to speak on the floor of the house. I requested the Speaker today. I went to his chamber and I requested him. I said- look, I would very much like to speak. I told him that people from the BJP have made allegations against me and as a Member of Parliament, it is my right to speak. He was non-committal. In his way, he smiled. I am hopeful that I will be allowed to speak on Friday. But I don’t think they will let me speak,” Rahul told reporters.
“This story started the day I gave my speech in Parliament about Mr Adani. I asked some fundamental questions to Prime Minister about his relationship with the businessman, about how Mr Adani has been given pretty much the entire India-Israel defence relationship. How he is being given the Bombay Airport, other airports, how rules have been changed to allow him to be given these things. What happened in Australia between the Prime Minister, Mr. Adani and the Chairman of the State Bank and one of the Chief Ministers of one of the states in Australia," said Rahul.
"It is a picture that is visible to everybody, why is the Prime Minister of India sitting with the State Bank Chairman, Mr. Adani, and an Australian leader? What is he discussing and why, after that discussion, is almost a billion dollars pledged by the State Bank to Mr. Adani? What was said in Sri Lanka? Why a person made a statement saying- Mr. Rajapaksa told him that Mr. Adani was given the contract and it was basically Mr. Modi who told him the same in Bangladesh,” added.
According to Rahul, “these are relevant questions and the whole idea is that these questions must not be under the table.” “That is why, in this whole exercise of four or five ministers, the Prime Minister is giving a speech to distract from this fundamental question which is, what is the relationship between the Prime Minister of India and Mr. Adani and his companies and more importantly, whose money is in the shell companies? Who is this unknown person, whose money is in the shell companies? What is his relationship with Mr. Adani? These are the questions,” he said.
The Congress leader said he deserved a chance to speak in the Parliament and the ongoing stand-off in Parliament was testing Indian democracy. “If Indian democracy was functioning, I would be able to say my piece in Parliament. So, actually what you are seeing is a test of Indian democracy. After four leaders of the BJP have made an allegation about a Member of Parliament, is that Member of Parliament going to be given the same space that those four Ministers have been given or is he going to be told to shut-up? That’s what the real question in front of this country is right now,” Rahul said.