Want debate, not disruption: TMC takes position over Adani row

Even as the Congress stepped up its attack on the Center on Sunday over the allegations against the Adani Group and questioned the government's silence, the TMC split with the larger Congress-led opposition, saying it wanted a debate, not disruption. TMC leader Derek O'Brien said that the party doesn't want any disruptions but debate on the matter.

“Great opportunity to kick the Modi government as both houses debate the President's speech. If any opposition party disrupts, they are in cahoots with the BJP. We (TMC) want debate, not disruption,” Derek O’Brien, TMC leader in the Rajya Sabha, tweeted.

The main item on the agenda for tomorrow's meeting is the motion of thanks for the President's speech, which was supposed to be moved to the day after the budget on February 2. But it could not be carried out due to the protests of the opposition, which demanded a discussion of the Hindenburg report by suspending the listed deals. Congress chief in the Rajya Sabha and AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said he would ask the prime minister three questions on the Adani group every day.

He pointed out that Vinod Adani, Gautam Adani's brother, was named in the Panama Papers and Pandora Papers and accused of stock manipulation and accounting fraud through a "vast labyrinth" of offshore shell entities. "What does the fact that a business entity you know well is facing serious allegations about the quality and integrity of your investigations tell us," he asked.

The Congress is set to stage protests outside SBI and LIC offices across the country on Monday to highlight how the government has "forced" these public sector institutions to invest in the Adani group.

Opposition parties will meet at Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber in Parliament on Monday before the start of the session. The TMC attended the first such meeting on Thursday but missed the opposition MPs' meeting the next day.