‘Several parties…bound to have different opinions’: Sharad Pawar on JPC probing Adani issue

Mumbai: Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), stuck to his position on Saturday by asserting that a Supreme Court-appointed committee would be more productive than the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which he had distanced himself from the day before. He also ruled out the potential of divisions within the Opposition, stating that when many parties unite, they may have divergent views on particular subjects.

“When several parties come together, there is bound to be different opinions. A similar thing happened on the (V D) Savarkar issue when we had met at Mallikarjun Kharge’s house. I expressed my position on it and the issue was solved. Similarly, discussions can take place where different opinions can be voiced,” he said.

“I don’t know who claims this (that there is no Opposition unity). I have only kept my views and that is it,” he said. Pawar said that he did not praise Gautam Adani but rather expressed facts when further questioned about his admiration of Adani, Indian Express reported.

The Adani Group, according to Pawar, is being "targeted" by unidentified parties, whose motivations he questions. Pawar made this claim on Friday.

Pawar claimed on Saturday that he was unaware of the claims made by Congress regarding anomalies totalling Rs 20,000 crore.

Allegations of stock manipulation by the Adani Group have been brought up repeatedly by Congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. The Opposition, including the NCP, banded together to bring up the Adani issue during the most recent Parliamentary Budget session, almost causing it to be washed out.

Rahul has also asserted that his disqualification as an MP as a result of his conviction in a defamation case was related to the inquiries he has been making to the administration about the Adani situation.

The NCP and the Congress have worked together in Maharashtra since 1999 as allies. The two are also members of the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which ruled Maharashtra till it was overthrown last year.

Regarding the demand by the press for a JPC investigation into the Adani situation, Pawar reiterated his prior remark that the Supreme Court should establish an inquiry panel. An expert, an administrator, an economist, and a retired Supreme Court judge made up the committee that the court-appointed, and they were given a deadline to complete their investigation.

The NCP leader emphasised that the JPC will consist primarily of members from the ruling party and that it will not serve any purpose if there are accusations against that party.