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Cong demands govt action in Amazon, Mundra drug haul issues
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that both scandals are serious “breach of national security”.
New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday demanded a criminal action to be initiated against Amazon for “bribery” and sought a special commission, headed by Supreme Court judges, to look into the ₹21,000 crore heroin consignment seized at Gujarat’s Mundra port.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “India’s Law Ministry’s Annual Budget is ₹1,100 crores. How can a company’s budget be almost ₹9,000 crores in legal fees? It has now come out that this was money being given as bribe.”
“So the question is very simple, the so called alleged bribery of ₹8,546 crore was being given to whom in Modi Government, who received this money?” asked Surjewala.
The Union government has received preliminary details of “abnormally” high legal expenditures by e-commerce giant Amazon India in two financial years (2018-19 and 2019-20), which amounts to ₹8,546 crore, two people aware of the development said, and added that the spends were being investigated. The company, however, said expenses categorised as legal, include fees for several professional consultancy services.
“Will Prime Minister of India raise a demand from his US counterpart that criminal action be initiated in United States for alleged bribery against Amazon? Will Prime Minister of India answer that? Is this not a serious breach of National Security? And considering that Government has totally failed, should this matter not be investigated by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India?” Surjewala said.
A similar demand has been made by Surjewala for an investigation into the biggest drug haul. “The second scandal is even more scaring, it is not India’s, but, the world’s biggest drug haul appears to have happened right here in our country,” referring to the recovery of 3000 kgs of heroin worth Rs.21,000 crores.
“Why is it drug cartel prospering right under the nose of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah? Why has Mundra Port not been investigated? And considering that Narcotics Control Bureau, DRI, ED, CBI, IB, Home Ministry everybody was sleeping, how can the drugs than come in such a large quantity?” said Surjewal, demanding an investigation by a special commission of sitting judges of the Supreme Court of India and a special SIT.
