Adani power disruptions raise ‘conspiracy’ questions: Rizvi

BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has questioned whether repeated disruptions in electricity supplies from the Adani power plant in India are merely technical failures, raising the possibility of sabotage or a broader conspiracy against the government’s people-oriented programmes.

“One of its units has broken down. The supply of electricity coming from there has been disrupted.

There are crises from so many directions,” Rizvi said on Saturday.
He was speaking at a discussion titled “The Ongoing Crisis in the Country and What Patriotic Forces Should Do”, organised by the 12-party alliance at the Jatiya Press Club at noon.

Rizvi said recurring technical faults at the plant had raised questions in the public mind that went beyond his own suspicions.

“Is there any incident? Is there any mystery? Is there sabotage somewhere? This question has arisen in people’s minds, not only mine, but in everyone’s mind. Why are technical faults occurring one after another? Why is a unit shutting down somewhere?” he asked.

He suggested the disruptions could be linked to attempts to undermine the government’s welfare initiatives.

“These issues are making all of us think. Why is this situation being created? Are various conspiracies being carried out to obstruct the government’s people-oriented programmes? Everyone is thinking about this,” he said.

Rizvi noted that the government had been making instalment payments to power plants and settling dues under international agreements, including with India, which he said made the disruptions harder to explain.

“So why is this happening? I have simply raised before you the question that has arisen in people’s minds,” he said.

Describing the country as being in the grip of a crisis, Rizvi alleged that the situation was being artificially engineered.

“I don’t know why, but looking at the reality and the incidents taking place, I feel that there may be some conspiracy somewhere.

Some may ask how I can say this. But looking at everything, the reality and the prevailing incidents, it seems to me that there may be some conspiracy or plot somewhere,” he said.

He drew a parallel with the period between 2001 and 2006, saying similar incidents had occurred then and suggesting that such episodes could be used to disrupt a government’s normal functioning, including its social protection and welfare measures.

He questioned whether there was any deliberate attempt to stall the current government’s social protection initiatives.

Rizvi also raised concerns over the resurfacing of a banned political party, questioning how it had managed to attract a large gathering and raising questions about the role of intelligence agencies and the police administration.

On the killing of four members of a Hindu family in Rangpur, Rizvi said the government had moved swiftly, arresting those responsible and bringing them to justice.

He ended with a call for vigilance and unity.
“We have to remain alert. We have to remain conscious and united. There must be no opportunity for fascism in this country.

If fascism resurfaces, the country’s independence, sovereignty and the rights of the people will face an extreme threat,” he said.