"Despite NCP's view...Opposition united to defeat BJP": Jairam Ramesh on Sharad Pawar's remark

New Delhi [India], April 7 : Reacting to Sharad Pawar's remarks on the Adani issue and Hindenburg report, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said that even though NCP has a different view, the 19 like-minded opposition parties are convinced that the Adani group issue is grave in nature.
His remarks came after NCP supremo Sharad Pawar told NDTV in an interview that he considers the Hindenburg report on Adani Group as "targeted" and doesn't agree with the need for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the matter.
Responding to Pawar's remarks, Jairam Ramesh said that despite any differences, the 20 like-minded Opposition parties are "united" and will fight together to "defeat" BJP.
Jairam Ramesh in a statement 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 and our democracy from the BJP's assaults and in defeating the BJP's divisive and destructive political, social and economic agenda," he added.
Sharad Pawar told NDTV in an interview, "...Someone gave a statement, and it created uproar in the country. Such statements were given earlier too, which created ruckus. But the importance given to the issue this time was out of proportion. There was a need to think who raised the issue (gave report). We had not heard the name who gave the statement. What is the background? When such issues are raised, they create uproar in the country, the cost is borne...how it impacts the economy. We can't ignore such things, and it seems (it) was targeted".
He said the Opposition wanted a Parliamentary Committee to probe the matter and added that BP has a majority in Parliament.
"Today, who has the majority in Parliament, the ruling party. The demand was against the ruling party. The committee to probe against the ruling party will have majority members from the ruling party. How will the truth come out, there can be apprehensions. If Supreme Court investigates the matter, where there is no influence, there is a better chance of the truth coming out. And once the SC announced a committee for probing the matter, there was no need of JPC (probe)," Pawar said.
A report published by US-based short-seller firm Hindenburg Research surfaced on January 24 alleging that the Adani Group had weak business fundamentals, and was involved in stock manipulation and accounting fraud, among others.
The Opposition has been demanding a JPC probe into the matter. The continuous protests by the Opposition also led to regular disruptions and adjournments in Parliament.
The Supreme Court had last month set up a six-member expert committee "to investigate if there was a regulatory failure in dealing with the alleged contravention of laws pertaining to the securities market in relation to the Adani Group or other companies".