India’s Parliament Adjourned Over Corruption Allegations Against Gautam Adani

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New Delhi: The Indian parliament was rocked on Monday by a clash between the ruling coalition and opposition parties over corruption charges leveled against businessman Gautam Adani, a close associate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The opposition demanded a discussion on the politically charged issue, leading to an adjournment of both houses during the first day of the winter session. The US Department of Justice (DoJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had accused Adani and other members of the Adani Group of orchestrating a $265 million bribery scheme from 2020 to 2024 to secure solar energy contracts in India, allegedly bribing government officials for billions of dollars in contracts.

Opposition MPs submitted 13 notices calling for a debate on the corruption charges and the violence in Sambhal, Manipur, and Wayanad. However, Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar rejected these notices, citing non-compliance with procedural directives. Despite this, the opposition persisted, demanding a discussion, leading to the adjournment of the house for the remainder of the day. Meanwhile, reports emerged that a US agency is re-examining its decision to approve a $553 million loan for a Sri Lankan port project backed by the Adani Group, in light of the corruption allegations. No funds have been disbursed yet, and the agency is assessing the implications of the charges. The Lok Sabha will reconvene on Wednesday, where the opposition is expected to renew its demand for a debate on the issue.