The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nothing to hide or be afraid of in connection with the Adani Group row, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday, appearing to distance the ruling party from a simmering controversy over allegations of fraud by the conglomerate that has roiled Parliament.
In an interview to news agency ANI, the minister also asserted that the BJP will win a third straight general election in 2024 with no competition because Indians back Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his idea of a new India, said that the restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir will come up once the assembly polls are conducted, praised the Prime Minister for unlocking development in the Northeast, and said that the push to rename cities and landmarks was not meant to dismiss anyone’s contribution but establish Indian traditions.
“The Supreme Court has taken cognisance of the matter. As a minister, it is not right for me to comment now… The BJP has nothing to hide or be afraid of,” Shah said.
The minister also said that truth remains unscathed by conspiracies to tarnish Modi’s reputation, appearing to refer to a two-part BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots. “The truth will eventually emerge despite thousand conspiracies surrounding it. They are after Modi since 2002. But Modi ji comes out stronger and even more popular every time,” Shah said.
Shah’s comments came at a time when the Opposition has sought to corner the government over allegations made by American firm Hindenburg Research that the Adani Group committed fraud and manipulated stock prices. The embattled conglomerate has lost upwards of $120 million in market value since the allegations were made public late January even as opposition parties jammed Parliament demanding a probe by joint parliamentary committee (JPC) into the charges. The first half of the Budget session was marked by bitter exchanges between the government and Opposition over the issue, as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi linked Adani’s global gains to official foreign visits, and Modi defended his credibility and governance record, attacking the Opposition over a spate of corruption scandals under previous administrations.
Lashing out at the Opposition, Shah said parties tried to rake up a controversy by alleging snooping of several individuals by the government using the Pegasus software, but their claims fell flat as the allegations could not be proven in court. He said financial irregularities worth ₹12 lakh crore happened under previous Congress governments.
In response to a question on the controversy over expunged remarks in Parliament, Shah said this was not done for the first time. Opposition leaders have alleged that parts of their speeches were unfairly scrubbed from the record, a charge dismissed by the chairs in both Houses.
“This is not the first time someone’s comments in Parliament were expunged. The history of Parliament proceedings clearly indicates that. The Parliament is a place to hold discussions under rules, using parliamentary language. Expunging words should be done after considering all rules,” he said.
The second half of the Budget Session will resume on March 13 and conclude on April 6.
While there was no response from the Congress on Shah’s allegations, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said if there is nothing to hide, the government should allow a JPC probe.
Shah expressed confidence about the BJP’s prospects in the 2024 elections, citing positive changes effected by the Centre at the grassroots level. “There is no competition in the 2024 elections. The country is wholeheartedly moving forward with PM Modi,” he said. The home minister also said his party will win four key assembly elections scheduled this year — Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.
From cracking down on terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir and left-wing extremism to self-reliance in the defence sector, Shah noted that the central government’s efforts in shielding the country’s socio-economic health from a global slowdown was a big achievement. “The people of the country will decide the principal opposition to the BJP in 2024,” he said.
Highlighting the Centre’s developmental inroads into the North-East, where three states are going to the polls, the minister said PM Modi ensured the “seven sisters” were provided equal opportunities.
“There is peace in the North-East today. PM Modi has ended the mann ki doori (distance in the mind) between the North-East and the rest of India. Our government has signed agreements with many militant groups, and more than 8,000 armed cadres have surrendered to join the mainstream. The North-East, which was earlier known for blockages, bandhs, bomb blasts and insurgency, is now getting road, rail and air infra. In the last nine years, the local languages there have strengthened, so much so that the medium of instruction for primary education is regional language,” Shah said.
The BJP will secure a majority in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya, he added. Taking a jibe at the Opposition, which accuses the BJP of contesting all elections with the PM as the face, he said, “Product accha ho toh usko gaaje-baaje ke sath market karna hi chahiye (it’s a basic rule of marketing that if a product is good then it should be marketed with pomp).” He also credited Modi for visiting the northeast 51 times in the last eight years.
On Jammu & Kashmir, Shah said the statehood question will be dealt with after the assembly polls, and only the Election Commission could decide when the elections will happen.
“It was on our agenda to remove Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir. Terrorism-related cases are at their lowest in J&K today, and crores of tourists are visiting the region now… I had clearly stated that statehood will be restored in J&K after elections. The process of preparing the voters’ list in the Union Territory is nearing completion. Now, the Election Commission has to take a call on the elections,” the home minister said, adding that new leadership in the region will emerge from the local bodies.
Later in the day, addressing an event in Haryana’s Karnal, Shah said there was a big drop in cases linked to terror in J&K since the abrogation of Article 370.
He took pride in the government’s decision to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI) over allegations of anti-India activities, and said the proscribed outfit promoted radicalism and provided raw material for terrorism.
“We decided to ban it by rising above vote bank politics. So many documents emerged that showed their activities were against the country’s unity and integrity,” he said.
In September 2022, the Centre banned PFI and its associates for five years under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for terror links.
He also said that the government was maintaining a close watch on recent attacks on temples in Canada and Australia. “There is a good coordination between different agencies. I am confident that we will not let it flourish,” he added.
To a question on the controversy over the renaming of Mughal Gardens in Rashtrapati Bhavan and the allegation that the government wanted to erase the contribution of the Mughal Empire, he said, “The contribution of no one should be removed, neither do we want to remove them…We have not changed the name of even a single city that previously did not have an old name.”
“But if someone wants to establish the tradition of the country then no one should have any objection,” he added.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticised the government for not only allowing a parliamentary probe into the Adani crash. “When Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge or any of the members tried to speak on this (the Adani row), their comments were expunged. So, if there is nothing to hide, then accept the demand for the JPC,” he said.