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PM Modi should submit himself to a JPC probe: Congress

by IBNS 06 Apr 2016, 07:51 am

New Delhi, Apr 6 (IBNS) Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of 'squandering' public money, the Congress has asked him to turn himself in for a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

The party claimed that Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) amassed 19,716 Crore INR when Modi served as the Chief Minister of the state.

Stating a CAG report on the same, it said, "The CAG report tabled in the Gujarat Assembly shows how the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) squandered away Rs. 19,716 crore of public money."

"This story begins in 2005, when Shri Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat and he announced discovery of 20 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas by GSPC in KG Basin valued at US $50 billion (Rs. 2,20,000 crore). There were videos that were made, which eulogised Shri Modi as a visionary leader and how he would ensure independence from hydrocarbons in India by 2014," it said.

Calling the PM a boastful man, the Congress said, "Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has a habit of making boastful claims and grandiose announcements to the point that he now believes he is unaccountable to the people."

It also accused him of lying and said that under his regime, people are paying higher for crude oil.

"As most of the promises of Shri Modi, this has also turned out to be false. Not only is India dependent on imported crude, under the Modi Government average Indians are paying high prices for petrol despite international prices being at a record low."

The Congress also took a shot at GSPC and said that the plans were aimless as a number of factors were not taken into consideration.

"GSPC invested Rs. 19,576 crore of public money in KG Basin Gas Blocks without any assessment of the risk involved, construction technology, estimate of natural gas reserves or gas pricing. Despite this investment, there has been no commercial production, meaning this entire amount has been wasted. The GSPC has since been forced to give up many of the Gas Blocks."

The opposition also launched a scathing attack on the Gujarat Model, calling it a 'cheap gimmick'.

It said, "The Modi Government had come to power after they ran a successful campaign which hinged on the so-called Gujarat Model. As more information begins to come out of Gujarat and based on the management of the Indian Economy and foreign affairs, it seems that the Gujarat Model was nothing more than a cheap gimmick devised by the public relations team of Shri Modi. From agitations by communities demanding jobs, to stalled projects and bank deposit growth being the lowest since 1962, it can be said that Shri Modi time as Prime Minister, thus far, has been insipid and lacking any vision or direction."

Holding the Prime Minister accountable, the Congress said, "Shri Narendra Modi must be held accountable by same standard that he applies for others and submit himself to a probe by a ‘Joint Parliamentary Committee’ in the entire ‘GSPC Scam’ based on the findings of CAG."