Adani-Hindenburg row: SC panel more reliable than JPC, says Sharad Pawar on Opposition's demand for probe

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that though his party had pressed for a joint parliamentary committee probe into Hindenburg allegations on the Adani Group, the investigation and findings by the Supreme Court-monitored panel will be more reliable.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Pawar said that there is no need for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe. “In a JPC, 15 people will be from the ruling party and only 5-6 people will be there from the opposition. If the majority is from the ruling party, then it is not certain how much truth will come in front of the country," Pawar said pressing for the Supreme Court-monitored probe.

He added that there is “no need” for a JPC probe as the SC-appointed panel will be more reliable and unbiased in its probe into the claims made by the US short seller.

Even during his interview with the channel, Pawar said he did not share the views of his ally Congress on the demand for the 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," Pawar said during the interview, which was aired on Friday.

On Saturday during the press conference, Pawar said there was a time when Tata-Birla's names were taken to criticise the government but they had their due contributions to the development of the country. "At present, Ambani and Adanis names are taken to criticise the government. But there is a need to think about their contribution to the country as well," Pawar said.

"I personally think there are many important issues in front of the opposition: unemployment, price rise and farmers," Pawar added.

On Friday, Pawar said he doesn’t agree 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.

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