A report published in a London daily claiming that the Modi government overlooked security considerations to hand over land near the Pakistan border in Gujarat to Adani Group for setting up an energy project is set to rock Parliament on Thursday.

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The opposition Congress targeted the BJP over the alleged relaxation of norms for Adani Group.

“BJP's pseudo-nationalism face is once again unmasked! You have endangered national security at our borders in order to benefit private billionaires," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, wrote on X.

“Is it true that you have gifted precious strategic land, just 1 km near the International Border with Pakistan, to your 'Dear Friend' by relaxing border security rules? Is it true that the government has relaxed such rules, not just at the India-Pakistan border, but also on the land adjoining Bangladesh, China, Myanmar and Nepal, thereby jeopardising India’s strategic and border security?" Kharge asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Pseudo-nationalism exposed

BJP's pseudo-nationalism face is once again unmasked! Is it true that you have gifted precious strategic land, just 1 km near the International Border with Pakistan, to your 'Dear Friend' (Gautam Adani) by relaxing border security rules?

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress president

Citing observations made by unnamed military officers, Kharge further asked, "What happens if there is the need to lay mines or anti-tank and anti-personnel mechanisms needed to be put in place? What about the concept of space and surprise in offensive and defensive operations?”

“The Modi government’s cronyism is a threat to our national security. Allowing India’s largest solar project to be constructed hardly 1 km away from the Pakistan border is extremely dangerous and goes against all established military norms. What is shocking is that the BJP-run Gujarat Government and the Centre held secret meetings to convince and steamroll military officials to award the project to Adani," KC Venugopal, Congress general secretary incharge of organisation, said.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in Kerala, said, “Has the process of handing over all the resources of the country to the Prime Minister's 'friend' reached such a point that even the border security rules are being changed? According to this news, India's border security rules were changed for Adani's energy park. It is written that senior army officers expressed apprehensions about the obstacles in border security and surveillance work but they were not heard”.

“The security responsibilities of the army are being made difficult and sensitive to give cheap land and business benefits to the Prime Minister's friend. Is one person's business interest bigger than the question of national security?” she asked.

While Parliament sessions held in the recent past have seen numerous protests and demonstrations by the Congress-led Opposition demanding probe into the business practices of the Adani Group, the Budget session commencing from January 31 had not seen anti-Adani protest thus far. Tomorrow is the last day of the first leg of the Budget session of Parliament.