Congress, DMK MPs walkout of LS over nod to Adani Group's energy park along Indo-Pak border

New Delhi: Opposition MPs, including from Congress and DMK, on Wednesday walked out of Lok Sabha on Wednesday over clearance given to the Adani Group to construct a renewable energy park in Gujarat’s Khavda near the India-Pakistan border after "not getting a satisfactory reply" from the government.

Congress and other MPs alleged that national security was compromised by giving clearance to the renewable energy park, which is just a kilometre away from the Pakistan border and were up in arms against New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi claiming that he did not respond to the query on national security aspect.

Asking a supplementary question during Question Hour, senior Congress MP Manish Tewari said national security and energy security have to go hand in hand and security protocol does not allow any big infrastructure project within 10 km from the International Border (IB).

Tewari asked whether any relaxation was granted to the proposed project and Joshi responded, "The government is keen to produce renewable energy in the country. Clearances are sought from the central, state government and relevant agencies before licences are issued and nod is granted."

As the Minister wound up his short reply, Congress MPs were up in arms and stormed the Well of the House. Later, MPs from Congress, DMK and some other parties walked out in protest.

Outside the Parliament, Tewari told reporters that there needs to be a balance between energy security and national security. "We asked the question, there was no answer, hence we boycotted the Parliament," he said.

Congress Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said that the party wanted to know whether the Adani Group is above national security and that the apprehensions expressed by the army were ignored for the profit of the group.

"The BJP that seeks votes on national security has ignored national security for facilitating the close friend of Narendra Modi. We condemn this and seek a satisfactory answer from the government," he said.

Last month, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that BJP's “pseudo-nationalism face” has been once again “unmasked” and asked why the government would allow a private project within easy striking distance of the India-Pakistan border and increase the defence responsibilities of the military and reduce the strategic advantage.

The issue came to light after The Guardian cited private communications and confidential documents to report that the Ministry of Defence amended security protocols to make sensitive territory on the India-Pak border commercially viable. Earlier, no major construction beyond existing villages and roads up to 10 km from the border were allowed.