New Delhi, December 2: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Monday attacked the Centre over the Adani issue and threatened to launch a protest in support of the opposition's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the allegations against the business group. In a statement, the SKM, an umbrella organisation of several farmers' bodies, also said that protests will be held in Uttar Pradesh on December 4 against proposed privatisation of electricity sector in the state.

The SKM accused the NDA government at the Centre of shielding industrialist Gautam Adani, against whom bribery allegations have been made in a US court. "The case registered against Adani Group in the USA corroborates SKM's demand of no privatisation of the electricity sector and prepaid smart meters that will impose huge exploitation of the people," the SKM said. Gautam Adani Breaks Silence on US Fraud Charges, Says ‘Every Attack Makes Us Stronger, Every Obstacle Becomes Stepping Stone for More Resilient Adani Group’.

"NDA government had signed an agreement with SKM on December 9, 2021 and assured not to proceed on the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 without consulting SKM. However, the Prime Minister violated the same, waving a green flag to the corporate cronies to commercialise the electricity sector thus endangering the development of both production and service sectors," the statement said.

The SKM claimed that procedure against the Adani Group had been started in the US court at least two years back, but no investigations were initiated on this in India. "This is a total failure of the Administration under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah," it said. Gautam Adani Indictment: India Has Not Received Any Communication on ‘Legal Matter Involving Private Firms and Individuals’, Says MEA.

The SKM, which led the farmers' protests at Delhi borders in 2020-21 against now-repealed three farm laws, also slammed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar for allegedly not allowing a debate on the Adani issue in Parliament. "SKM strongly condemned the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Speaker of Rajya Sabha Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar for not allowing debate in the Parliament on the demand of the Opposition to investigate the serious graft charges against the Adani Group brass," the statement said. "The SKM will be forced to call for mass protest in support of the demand for discussion in the Parliament and Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation," it said.

The statement further said that SKM Uttar Pradesh State Coordination Committee has issued a call to conduct protests against the proposed privatisation of electricity sector in the state on December 4. "SKM calls upon all its State leadership to intensify the struggle against privatisation of electricity and boycott the prepaid smart meters," it added.

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