Modi govt can't hide behind 'Hum Adani Ke Hain Kaun': Congress

Ramesh alleged that the government punished business houses that 'do not fall in line with your (Modi) cronies’ financial interests'

Intensifying the attack on the BJP-led dispensation, Congress on Sunday claimed that the Narendra Modi government's "loud silence" over Adani Group "smacks of collusion" while insisting that it cannot hide saying 'Hum Adani Ke Hain Kaun'.

The party said it is starting to pose three questions to the government every day from Sunday, as Prime Minister Modi himself had said in 2016 following the Panama Papers expose that his government would take action against economic offenders. Congress also started a Twitter poll on its official Twitter handle, asking people whether the Prime Minister will get the allegations of fraud against "his friend Adani" investigated.

It asked about the quality and sincerity of a probe against Adani Group, which is well acquainted with Modi after the name of Gautam Adani’s brother cropped up in Panama and Pandora Papers, whether there would be “fair and impartial” probe against Adani Group at a time agencies are “misused” to target political opponents and how has the conglomerate escaped government scrutiny so far.

In a statement, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh referred to the Ministry of Finance's announcement of a multi-agency team to monitor financial flows to and from offshore tax haven following Panama Papers expose as well as Modi’s remarks in 2016 about stringent action against offenders.

Ramesh said this leads to "some questions that you (Modi) and your government cannot hide from saying “HAHK (Hum Adani Ke Hain Kaun)".

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Hum Aap Ke Hain Kaun is a popular Hindi movie starring Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit. Congress had earlier used an acronym DDLJ (Shahrukh Khan-starrer Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) to target the government saying it was employing DDLJ -- Deny, Distract, Lie and Justify -- strategy to avoid replying on the India-China border row.

Ramesh tagged his statement on Twitter and said Modi’s “eloquent silence of the PM on the ‘Adani MahaMegaScam’ has forced them to start the series ‘HAHK’.

"Amid the allegations against the Adani Group, the Modi government has maintained a loud silence which smacks of collusion. Starting today, the Congress party will pose three questions a day to the Prime Minister," Ramesh said in the statement.

Referring to earlier exposes, Ramesh said Adani Group promoter Gautam Adani's brother Vinod Adani was named in Panama Papers and Pandora Papers for operating offshore entities in Bahamas and British Virgin Islands and is alleged to be engaged in “brazen stock manipulation” and “accounting fraud” via “a vast labyrinth of offshore shell entities”.

"What does the fact that a business entity you are well acquainted with faces serious allegations tell us about the quality and sincerity of your investigations?" he asked.

Ramesh alleged that the Modi government had "misused" central agencies to "intimidate" political opponents and to punish business houses that "do not fall in line with your (Modi) cronies’ financial interests".

"What action has been taken, if ever, to investigate the serious allegations made over the years against the Adani Group? Is there any hope of a fair and impartial investigation under you?" Ramesh said in his second question.

In the third question, he said, "How is it possible that one of India’s largest business groups, one that has been allowed to build monopolies in airports and seaports, could have escaped serious scrutiny for so long despite persistent allegations? Other business groups have been harassed and raided for much less. Was the Adani Group essential to a dispensation that has profited from 'anti-corruption' rhetoric all of these years?"