Congress reacts to ally Sharad Pawar’s remarks on Adani-Hindenburg

The Congress on Friday made it clear that its ally Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) may have its view, but 19 like-minded Opposition parties are convinced that the charges against the conglomerate are real and very serious.

The Congress was reacting to NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s statement that the Adani Group was seemingly targeted by the US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research.

In an interview to NDTV, Pawar backed the Adani Group and criticised the narrative around the Hindenburg Research’s report on the conglomerate.

The Congress said all 20 like-minded Opposition parties, including the NCP, are united and will be together in saving the Constitution and democracy from the “BJP’s assaults”, news agency PTI reported.

“Such statements were given by other individuals too earlier and there was a ruckus in Parliament for a few days but this time out of proportion importance was given to the issue. The issues that were kept, who kept them, we had never heard of these people who gave the statement, what is the background. When they raise issues that cause a ruckus across the country, the cost is borne by the country’s economy, we cannot disregard these things. It seems this was targeted,” Pawar said.

“An individual industrial group of the country was targeted, that is what it seems. If they have done anything wrong, there should be an inquiry,” the NCP leader added.

Asked about Pawar’s remarks, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the NCP may have its view but 19 like-minded Opposition parties are convinced that the “PM-linked Adani Group” issue is real and very serious.

“But all 20 like-minded Opposition parties including NCP are united and will be together in saving the Constitution & our democracy from the BJP’s assaults and in defeating the BJP’s divisive and destructive political, social and economic agenda,” Ramesh said.

The Congress, NCP and the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray are in an alliance in Maharashtra called the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Proceedings of both houses of Parliament have witnessed repeated adjournments since the beginning of the Budget Session over Hindenburg Research’s report on the Adani Group.

While opposition parties have been demanding a Joint Parliamentary Probe into the Adani issue among other issues, the BJP has been demanding an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks in London.