New Delhi: Congress general secretary (communication) Jairam Ramesh fired three more questions at Prime Minister, asking him why every significant private port is taken over by “your favourite business group or is there any space for other private firms that wish to invest?"
In a statement, AICC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh noted that the Adani Group today controls 13 ports and terminals that represent 30% of India’s ports capacity and 40% of total container volume. It is no surprise that this growth trajectory has accelerated since 2014.
In addition to Mundra Port in Gujarat, recent acquisitions include Dhamra Port in Odisha, Kattupalli Port in Tamil Nadu, Krishnapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh, Gangavaram Port in Andhra Pradesh, Dighi Port in Maharashtra taken over in 2015, 2018. 2020, 2021, 2021 respectively.
93% overseas cargo from 'non-major ports'
The Congress leader said that there is a clear strategy at work as Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha account for 93% of the overseas cargo traffic from India’s “non-major ports”. Krishnapatnam and Gangavaram are the largest private ports in the south. The Adani Group has declared its goal as expanding its market share to 40% by 2025 and is attempting to acquire even more ports.
Is it prudent from a national security perspective appropriate for a firm that faces serious accusations of money laundering and round-tripping by offshore shell companies to be permitted to dominate a strategic sector like ports, Ramesh asked the Prime Minister?
Adani monopoly in ports sector
The Congress leader pointed out that as with airports, your government has also facilitated an Adani monopoly in the ports sector using all the means at its disposal. Ports with government concessions have been sold to the Adani Group without any bidding, he said accusing Modi of playing favourites.
"Surprisingly where bidding has been permitted, competitors have miraculously vanished from bidding," Ramesh said, adding that Income Tax raids appear to have helped “convince” the previous owner of Krishnapatnam Port to sell it to the Adani Group.
Is it true that in 2021, the public sector Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust was bidding for the Dighi Port in Maharashtra in competition with Adani but was forced to withdraw its winning bid after the ministries of Shipping and Finance changed their mind about supporting its bid.
This set of questions are seventh in the series that has been titled as Hum Adani ke hain kaun (HAHK).
Since, Modi has been observing complete silence over the Adani issue ensuring that not a single words comes out, the Congress be posing these questions is trying to keep the issue alive.
