'Nothing for BJP to hide': Amit Shah on opposition allegations over Adani row

Agartala: With the opposition targeting the BJP-led government over the Hindenburg-Adani row, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that it will not be appropriate for him to comment as the Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the matter but there is nothing "for the BJP to hide or be afraid of".

"The Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the matter. As a minister, if the Supreme Court is seized of the matter it is not right for me to comment. But in this, there is nothing for the BJP to hide and nothing to be afraid of," Shah said in an exclusive interview with ANI.

The Hindenburg-Adani row has turned into a major political controversy with the Congress and other opposition parties making allegations of favouritism and crony capitalism against the government. They raised the issue during the budget session of parliament demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe.
The opposition parties have also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue.

They have sought questions over the investment of LIC and some public sector banks in the Adani group. The government has rejected the allegations with PSUs and regulatory bodies also issuing statements about their following the norms and acting to their mandates.

The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that SEBI had agreed to constitute a committee to protect investor interests following Hindenburg's report on Adani Group.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud that SEBI is completely equipped to deal with the situation that took place due to a recent report by Hindenburg Research.

Mehta also said that the government has no objection to appointing a committee to suggest how to ensure investors are protected in the future. However, he said that remit of the committee is important since it has an effect internationally and that the government will provide names in a sealed cover.

Asked about Rahul Gandhi's recent speech in Lok Sabha, which was almost entirely concerned the Adani group, Shah said it is for the Congress leader or his script writers to decide what speech he wants to give.

"What speech he wants to give is for him or his speech writers to think," he said.
Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's "crony capitalism" allegation against BJP, Shah said. "There is no question. Nobody has been able to level such allegation against the BJP till date. During their (Congress) era, agencies be it CAG or CBI, they had registered cases taking cognizance of corruption. There were scams of Rs 12 lakh crore."

Asked about allegations of Congress and other opposition parties of BJP "capturing institutions", Shah said they should go to the court noting that courts are not under influence of BJP.

"Court 'humare kabze mein nahi hai," he said.

"Why don't they go to the court? Even at the time when Pegasus issue was raised, I had said go with proofs to the court...They only know how to create noise. Those who approached the court, the court took cognizance of Pegasus and also delivered its judgement. The investigation was also done," he added.
Asked about BJP spokespersons indicating that there is such "conspiracy" ahead of elections, he said it is for them to reply.

"Thousands of conspiracies cannot harm the truth. Truth shines bright like the sun. They have been doing it since 2002 against PM Narendra Modi. And every time, he has emerged stronger, truthfully and by gaining more popularity among people every time," he said when asked if there is a conspiracy in the wake of Hindenburg report and BBC documentary.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech at the Lok Sabha in reply to the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's address had lashed out at the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, saying that it converted "every opportunity into a crisis" during its 10 years at the helm between 2004 and 2014. PM Modi said UPA's term at the helm between 2004 and 2014 was "full of scams"

Before 12PM on counting day, BJP will cross majority mark in Tripura

Expressing confidence of BJP getting full majority in the Tripura assembly elections, Amit Shah has said that the BJP is seeking a mandate to make the state prosperous in the next five years building on the development initiatives of the party-led government. Responding to questions about a possible hung assembly in Tripura, Amit Shah said that the constituencies in Tripura are small and "you will see that before 12PM on counting day, the BJP would have crossed the majority mark."

In an exclusive interview with ANI, he also said that BJP's 'ChaloPaltai' slogan in the last election was not a slogan to come to power in the state but to change the situation in Tripura.

The BJP created a record in 2018 by ousting the Left Front government which ruled Tripura for 35 years from 1978. The state will go to the polls on February 16 for its 60-member assembly.

The BJP is contesting 55 seats while its ally Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) is contesting the remaining five seats.

Shah said Congress and CPI-M joining hands shows that they are not in a position to defeat BJP on their own and "it is very good position" for the party.

"We will increase our seats and also our vote share in Tripura. Congress and the Communist party have come together as they have accepted that they can't defeat BJP alone. We will form government with full majority in the state," Shah said.

"'ChaloPaltai' slogan was given to change the situation in Tripura, and we've done that. Earlier when the Left was in power in Tripura, government employees were paid under Pay Commission, but we implemented the 7th Pay commission in the state without increasing fiscal deficit. We eliminated violence in Tripura and also took strict action against drugs business from across the border in the state," he added.

Shah also outlined the "effective steps" of the state government to end violence in the border state and tackle the drug menace and added that these have sent a good message among people.

"There is no violence in Tripura. Time has come to make Tripura prosperous. The double-engine government has taken several steps to fulfil its promises," he said.

Asked about Manik Saha replacing Biplab Deb as Tripura Chief Minister in May last year and if it sent a signal of the BJP's central leadership controlling the state unit, Shah said that Deb is an MP and has several key organisational responsibilities in the central BJP.

He said changes are sometimes made if the national parties need leaders at the central level.

"I feel this is promotion, it should not be looked at from any other angle," he said.

Home Minister said that the BJP-led government has taken steps to strengthen local languages in the northeastern states and added that there is no big official programme in Delhi without participation of artists from the northeast.

He said under PM Modi's leadership, several steps have been taken for the welfare of people in the northeast.

"There is peace in the Northeast today, there has been peace agreement with several militant organisations.''

He referred to the agreement to end the Bru-Reang refugee crisis in Tripura and with National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT).

Shah said PM Modi's initiatives have helped the tribal population.

"The tribal communities are experiencing development now. Today, we have the first tribal President in the country. The benefits being given to poor families are also being extended to the tribal community without any discrimination. They realize that they were misled earlier"

Shah said before the year 2024, all state capitals in the Northeast region will get rail and air connectivity and this is not a small achievement.