Govt scared of JPC probe in Adani issue: Oppn MPs

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari on Monday alleged that treasury benches have been disrupting Parliamentary proceedings as the BJP is scared of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe in the Adani issue.

"The drama that has been going on since March 13 (referring to disruptions by treasury benches), can't be happening without a signal from the PM. Today, once again Parliament wasn't allowed to function. What are we demanding? Just a JPC investigation into the biggest scam after Independence," Tiwari told mediapersons in the presence of several opposition MPs outside Parliament.

The opposition parties were addressing the media soon after both Houses were adjourned amid protests by treasury benches and opposition members on the Adani issue and Rahul Gandhi's comments on democracy.

"Why is BJP scared of JPC? If JPC is taken up, BJP's mask would fall off and all those - from top to bottom - who filled the coffers of Adani by snatching away the rights of the middle class and the poor will be exposed," Tiwari alleged.

Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ram Gopal Yadav said that the "BJP is scared that if JPC investigates, the nexus between Adani and the Central Government would get exposed and the real culprit would come before the people. If the public is angry, they think that they would lose their money".

Yadav added that "It is a strange situation when the government is not making a statement even when the public is perturbed. We are seeing for the first time that government is not making any statement even when there is such a serious scam, let alone a probe. So, they definitely are guilty".

"It's neither a scandal nor a scam, it's more than that. It involves not only lakhs of rupees but the very economy, it'll affect the entire economy and people's money. We're not asking for anyone's favour, but saying that if there's any doubt of a scam, let's inquire through a credible agency," BRS MP K.Keshava Rao said.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge earlier told mediapersons that the Congress has asked for time tomorrow (Tuesday) for Rahul Gandhi to speak in Lok Sabha.

"If allowed, he (Rahul Gandhi) will speak in Parliament tomorrow," Kharge said.

Gandhi had met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla last week, seeking time to speak in the House regarding his comments made in London earlier this month on democracy under attack in the country.