DMK MP Kanimozhi on Tuesday demanded that the government clarify how raising allegations against the Adani Group could be equivalent to 'questioning' India, while hitting out at the ruling dispensation for "shielding" corporates.
Participating in the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Lok Sabha, she said any mention of Adani meant the treasury benches would break into virulent protests.
She also accused the treasury benches of turning a blind eye and providing strong support to corporates even when their "wrong-doings" come to the fore.
"... Hindenburg Research has given reports on 15 other institutions in different countries. But no other country has said that the report was against the country.
"When we are talking about Adani, it becomes against the country. I am confused. We have started calling India 'Bharat', now what is the next progress? If talking against Adani is talking against India, I really want a clarification," Kanimozhi asserted.
The Thoothukkudi MP further said that there is enough in the country to feel proud about as well as to be ashamed about. "We have to own up to that... only then can we make sure that there is justice done to people," she said.
"The Union government under the BJP tries to create a unitary culture, promoting oneness. One nation, one ration, one tax, one market, one language, one exam, one election, one religion, one party... this is what you are (government) trying to lead to," she said.
She also alleged that the Centre continued to "undermine" the power of states.
"You continue to delegitimise the work we have done... you continue to call us names, but we have set examples. We have proved that we can create models of social justice and inclusive development... which you have miserably failed to do," she said.
Kanimozhi also accused the government of not being in the habit of listening and referred to several interruptions during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's speech.
Accusing the opposition benches of not learning South Indian languages, she alleged that they were trying to push Hindi on them.
"The government curtailing freedom of speech create an aura of fear. This government has actively diminished the place available for debate, dissent and discussion. Leaving the people voiceless does not ensure continued power, rather it will create simmering discontent and resentment. You do not know when it will become flames. You cannot rule by fear alone," she said.
The DMK MP also hit out at the Centre over no "pre-consultation" on policies.
"The government does not understand that the parliament is to legislate... it just bulldozes. There is no pre-consultation on policies, parliamentary committee recommendations are unheeded... the number of days the parliament functions is shrinking," she said.
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said he had reservations on the content of the presidential address.
"It is nothing more than the political manifesto of the BJP. Since 2014, so many nice words have been written in the President’s address, but not a single word has been(converted) into reality," he said.
The Lok Sabha MP from Serampore remarked that political leaders and workers of the Opposition have been "kept under great threat" by misusing the CBI and the ED.
He sought to know when the Hindenburg Research report "clearly speaks about money laundering by the Adani Group of Industries", why authorities were not initiating proceedings against the business group.
"When this report speaks of money laundering... why the enforcement department is not initiating proceedings against Adani? Will you initiate proceedings only when opposition party leaders are involved? The Enforcement Directorate (ED) should initiate a probe and the (Group) chairman should be arrested immediately otherwise justice will not prevail," Banerjee added.
