Rahul steps up Gautam Adani offensive, as Oppn tries to contain Pawar impact, says: ‘Personal opinion’

While the Congress was surprised by the NCP chief’s remarks, given that the party was part of the Opposition discussions and Pawar had attended a dinner hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge where he did not raise the issue, it has decided to wait and watch for now, said sources.

Asked if the party would raise the issue with Pawar, a senior Congress leader said: “Let’s wait for some time… all this will die down in some days… the larger issue of Adani will remain.”

Signalling his party’s stand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi — who has linked his disqualification as MP following conviction in a defamation case to the questions he has been asking the government on the Adani issue — tweeted in Hindi: “They want to hide the truth, and hence they try to distract every day. The question remains the same, who does the Rs 20,000 crore in Adani’s benami companies belong to.”

सच्चाई छुपाते हैं, इसलिए रोज़ भटकाते हैं!

सवाल वही है – अडानी की कंपनियों में ₹20,000 करोड़ बेनामी पैसे किसके हैं? pic.twitter.com/AiL1iYPjcx

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 8, 2023

He posted the tweet with a picture of Adani’s name, with the letters standing in for, respectively, Ghulam (from a), Scindia (from d), Kiran (Reddy, from a), Himanta (Biswa Sarma, from n), and Anil (Antony from i). All five are former Congress leaders who have either joined the BJP or spoken positively about it.

Responding to this, veteran Congress leader A K Antony’s son Anil K Antony, who joined the BJP on Thursday, tweeted: “…sad to see a former president of a national party… speak like an online/ social media cell troll… Very humbled to see my fledgling name also with these tall stalwarts who have contributed decades for nation building work — and had to leave the party as they preferred to work for India and our people and not for a family”.

In Maharashtra, where the NCP is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) with the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), state Congress chief Nana Patole said Pawar had expressed his “personal opinion”. Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) said Pawar may have a different opinion on the Adani matter, but it “won’t affect Opposition unity”.

Pawar, too, asserted that it would not impact Opposition unity. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, he said: “When several parties come together, there are bound to be different opinions. A similar thing happened on the (V D) Savarkar issue… I expressed my position on it (that the Congress should refrain from attacking Savarkar) and the issue was solved. Similarly, discussions can take place where different opinions can be voiced.”

“I don’t know who claims this (that there is no Opposition unity). I have only put forward my views, and that is it,” he said. Asked about his “praise” for Adani, Pawar said he did not praise the industrialist but had only stated facts.

In his interview to NDTV, a channel in which the Adani Group is the majority stakeholder, on Friday, Pawar said he believed that the Adani Group was being “targeted” by unknown entities, whose motives he questioned. On the Congress’s demand for a JPC probe, he said: “If the Supreme Court, which no one can influence, if they were to conduct the inquiry, then there is a better chance of the truth coming to light. So, after the Supreme Court announced an inquiry, there is no significance of a JPC probe.”

“I am not completely opposed to the JPC…there have been JPCs and I have been a chairman of some of the JPCs. The JPC will be constituted on the basis of majority (in Parliament). Instead of a JPC, I am of the opinion the Supreme Court committee is more useful and effective,” he said on Saturday.

Countering this, Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh tweeted: “The Supreme Court Committee has very limited terms of reference. It cannot bring out the deep nexus between PM & Adani. Only a JPC can find answers to the HAHK (Hum Adanike Hain Kaun) series of 100 qns & more that are emerging. JPCs in 1992 & 2001 were both worthwhile exercises”.

NCP MLA Ajit Pawar, who earlier said he did not agree with Opposition parties raising questions about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degrees, supported Sharad Pawar on his JPC stand. “When he has spoken, it means he has stated the party’s position. We all stand with him,” he said.

Some Congress leaders said they knew that Pawar was not comfortable with the idea of raising the Adani issue in a big way. The NCP was not part of some of the Opposition protests in Parliament on the issue. “But we never expected Pawar to go public like this,” said a party leader.

“The Congress did not decide to raise the Adani issue on its own. It was a collective decision of all the Opposition parties. Of course, there were some parties which did not agree to the idea of demanding a JPC. The difference was only on the kind of investigation to be demanded. Otherwise, all of us were on the same page – that the Prime Minister was promoting one industrial house. All of us had agreed that the issue was big enough to be highlighted. To say all this after the session is over… well, what can we say,” said a senior party leader.

Congress digital media head Supriya Shrinate said Pawar’s remarks had not impacted Opposition unity. “I certainly don’t think Opposition unity is being impacted in any way. The entire Opposition is standing together. That is why the government appeared worried and scared during the Budget Session. That is why there is an attempt to control the internet… and impose censorship because a united Opposition is cornering the government in one voice. As far as his (Pawar’s) statement is concerned, he is a senior leader, he can have a view, but these are serious issues of national security,” she said.

Tweeting a purported picture of Pawar with Adani, Congress leader Alka Lamba said in Hindi: “For their vested interests, the greedy are singing praises of the dictatorial government. Rahul Gandhi is fighting a lone battle for the people of India — against the capitalist thieves and the chowkidar.”

In Maharashtra, Patole said Pawar had expressed his “personal opinion”. “But now the public is asking why the PM is afraid of the Adani issue. If the PM says nothing is being hidden, then why are they (BJP) afraid of it,” he said.

Maharashtra Congress leader Ashok Chavan also said that Pawar had expressed his personal opinion and he didn’t think it would impact Opposition unity in the 2024 elections. “But I would only say that if the Opposition takes a decision on any issue unitedly, all Opposition parties and their leaders should show solidarity on that,” he said.

The Uddhav Sena’s Sanjay Raut said although Pawar had taken a different stand, there were no cracks in Opposition unity. “The TMC, NCP have their own opinion about Adani, but it will not affect Opposition unity,” he said.

Meanwhile, taking a swipe at the Congress, Maharashtra Chief Minister and head of the official Shiv Sena, Eknath Shinde, said: “The Congress started an agitation seeking explanation for ‘Rs 20,000 crore’ from the Adani Group. Even Uddhav Thackeray continuously spoke on this issue. Now Pawar has commented and those who are protesting should heed these comments”. He said Pawar must have spoken “after much research”.

Asked about Pawar’s remarks, BJP national spokesperson Prem Shukla said an Indian corporate cannot be investigated just because of allegations levelled by a foreign short-seller. “Other parties which are aware of the administrative and commercial system of the country, know the truth and are putting forth their views,” he said.

With PTI inputs