Adani-Hindenburg row: Congress launches nationwide protests, Parliament adjourned

Bhalla further hit out at the Centre for “investing” LIC and SBI money into the Adani Group.

Led by senior party leader Mohammad Anwar Bhat, Congress workers in Srinagar raised slogans in favour of the JPC probe into the allegations of fraud against the Adani Group. “We are protesting against the current situation of the country where Adani-Ambani have looted the country. The LIC has invested thousands of crores in the Adani group while Jammu and Kashmir Bank also lost Rs 250 crore in it,” Bhat told mediapersons.

Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said the issue of “investment” of public money through the LIC and SBI into the Adani Group is a matter of serious concern and the Modi government has been “evading” questions in Parliament.

JKPCC protest over #Adani row, land eviction, and other concerning issues.

Demanding JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee) probe into the matter. pic.twitter.com/zNqMBA6zWg

— Vikar Rasool Wani (@vikar_rasool) February 6, 2023

Vice President of NSUI Andhra Pradesh, Amrut Teja garu leading a protest against the BJP’s inaction in The Adani scam. #ModiMuteAdaniLoot pic.twitter.com/VjQhIeUTQY

— INC Andhra Pradesh (@INC_Andhra) February 6, 2023

Come what may, the Congress will not allow Modi-Adani to compromise India’s economy. Party leaders at @INCManipur protest outside LIC & SBI offices across districts. We stand against the exploitation of innocent investors.#ModiMuteAdaniLoot pic.twitter.com/phQ6xkotpO

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 6, 2023

NSUI, the student wing of Congress, held a protest in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, visuals of which showed protesters holding placards and scaling over barricades set up by police. Some protesters burnt a suitcase with an SBI logo on it.

When you close the doors of Parliament to discuss the Adani Scam, we will open the ways on the streets to seek answers from you!

Where are CBI, ED, IT, and SEBI?
Stop protecting the frauds! pic.twitter.com/xLECCEOrv7

— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) February 6, 2023

Take part in The Agitation demonstrated in front of the @SBIOfficial Sashtri Nagar Branch,Chennai demanding an inquiry into the #Adaniscam.

The Modi government is neither discussing in this matter, nor is it ready to form a JPC for investigation#AdaniScam2023 #Adani pic.twitter.com/CnS1h4xSN5

— Dr J Aslam Basha (@JAslamBasha) February 6, 2023

Story continues below this ad

The Opposition parties also staged a protest near the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex. DMK, NCP, BRS, JD(U), SP, CPM, CPI, JMM, RLD, RSP, AAP, IUML, RJD, and Shiv Sena were among the parties that participated in a meeting held by Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to chalk out a strategy on the Adani row and other issues.

संसद में गांधी प्रतिमा के सामने विपक्ष की गूंज –

• प्रधानमंत्री जवाब दो
• अडानी घोटाले पर JPC लागू करो
• सुप्रीम कोर्ट से जांच कराओ
• SBI-LIC को लूटना बंद करो
• गरीबों को लूटना बंद करो

बात जनता के हितों की है… दूर तलक जाएगी। pic.twitter.com/GtECHTDpwA

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 6, 2023

Please see my intervention on Adani in Dec 2019 in lok sabha & see how I was being shut up.
And they say they have nothing to hide! #TruthNeverDies pic.twitter.com/xRzP9omuDP

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) February 5, 2023

A report by New York-based investor research firm Hindenburg Research accused industrialist Gautam Adani-led conglomerate of “brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades”. The report resulted in a sell-off of shares of all Adani Group companies. According to the Opposition, the meltdown in Adani Group shares is a “scam that involves common people’s money as public sector (units) LIC and SBI have invested in them”.

The eloquent silence of the PM on the Adani MahaMegaScam has forced us to start a series, HAHK-Hum Adanike Hain Kaun. We will be posing 3 question to the PM daily beginning today. Here are the first three.

Chuppi Todiye Pradhan Mantriji pic.twitter.com/qUxt6eJVec

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 5, 2023

This man Adani became the 3rd richest in the world under the BJP government, and interestingly he isn’t even in the top 10 tax payers in the country. Adani Ke Chowkidar are working very well for their boss pic.twitter.com/bVCSGkmQbw

— Kerala Pradesh Congress Sevadal (@SevadalKL) February 5, 2023

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings on Monday were adjourned for the day following protests by opposition parties demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe into the allegations of fraud and stock manipulation by a short-seller against the Adani Group.

Meanwhile, Adani Group said that the promoters will pre-pay $1,114 million for the release of pledged shares of its firms ahead of the maturity in September 2024. These shares belong to Adani Ports & Special Economic Zones, Adani Green Energy, and Adani Transmission, a statement said.

With inputs from agencies