Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Congress unit on Friday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of being directly involved in alleged multi-crore bribery in solar power contracts by the Adani Group as the union territory was ruled by the centre during the period of agreements.
“Between 2020 and 2024, Jammu and Kashmir was under the President’s rule and directly ruled by the BJP from the centre. So, the bribery happened directly under the influence of the BJP. JK’s position is most peculiar because the officials from the UT administration or from the centre government or the rulers of that period will have done that here,” J&K Congress President Tariq Hameed Karra said in a press conference.
He said that the party had demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) which must investigate the allegations and expose the officials and politicians involved.
“If the BJP admits that the states under the opposition rule and centrally Jammu and Kashmir are implicated, then the BJP is admitting that Adani bribed officials. Is this not a crime then?” he said.
He said that arresting the opposition chief ministers for allegations of corruption and not the prime minister’s “close ally” was a “selective enforcement of the law which is a disservice to the nation”.
The issue of bribes involving Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani for solar power allegations triggered major political upheaval in the country with the opposition led by Congress mounting a scathing attack on the Modi-led government for patronising Adani.
Among the five states, the Jammu and Kashmir Union territory name has also surfaced in the US Department for Justice’s report on the bribery for solar energy power contracts by Adani.
“The Congress is exclusively demanding the JPC; we had no communication with NC on this matter. The solar electricity was expensive and no investor was ready to buy but the group bribed politicians and bureaucrats in India,” Karra added.
On Thursday, former chief minister and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah said the Jammu and Kashmir government led by his party will gradually investigate all the scams which have happened in the union territory as people want to know.
The US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission have accused the Billionaire Adani of allegedly paying Rs 2,029 crore to Indian officials for vetting solar power contracts with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). However, the conglomerate called the allegations baseless, saying that all possible legal recourse will be sought.
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