Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar had a contrarian take on Adani-Hindenburg row when compared with rest of the Opposition.
In an interview to NDTV, Pawar came out in support of the Adani Group and criticised the narrative around the Hindenburg Research's report on the conglomerate.
"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 senior Opposition leader said.
Adani Group's seven listed stocks have lost about $120 billion in market value since a January 24 report by Hindenburg Research accused it of improper use of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation, allegations the conglomerate has denied.
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.
In the interview, Pawar said he did not share the views of his ally Congress on the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe on accusations against the Adani Group by US-based short seller Hindenburg Research.
"Out of proportion importance was given to the issue. The issues that were kept, who kept them? We had never heard of these people (Hindenburg) 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," Sharad Pawar said.
Pawar said he disagreed with Rahul Gandhi's "Adani-Ambani" style of targeting big business houses.
"Today, Ambani has contributed in the petrochemical sector, does the country not need it? In the field of electricity, Adani has contributed. Does the country not need electricity? These are people who take up such responsibility and work for the name of the country. If they have done wrong, you attack, but they have created this infrastructure, to criticise them does not feel right to me," he said.