#adaniissue

Follow Us on Google NewsIn a recent interview with NDTV, Sharad Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and senior opposition leader, said that a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani issue is not required since the Supreme Court-appointed committee is examining the relevant issues. Pawar also suggested that the Adani group was "targeted" in the Hindenburg Research report.Pawar's remarks have been at odds with those of Congress, which has insisted on a JPC probe into the Hindenburg-Adani row. However, Pawar believes that the Supreme Court's expert committee, which includes retired SC judges, experts, administrators, and economists, is better equipped to investigate the matter. The committee has been given guidelines, a timeframe, and asked to submit a probe report.BackgroundThe Hindenburg Research report, which was released in late January 2021, accused the Adani Group of "overvaluing its assets" and "under-reporting its debt." The report further alleged that the group had been improperly benefiting from its close relationship with the government.The Adani Group has denied these allegations, calling them "blatantly erroneous" and "mischievous." The group has also accused Hindenburg Research of trying to manipulate the market.The Need for a ProbeThe report's allegations created a stir in the country, and many opposition parties demanded a JPC probe into the matter. However, Pawar believes that the Supreme Court's intervention has made a JPC probe unnecessary.He pointed out that if a JPC probe were to be conducted, it would have been dominated by the ruling party since it has a majority in Parliament. This could lead to apprehensions about the credibility of the probe's findings. On the other hand, the Supreme Court is a neutral institution and is not influenced by any political party.The Supreme Court CommitteeThe six-member expert committee set up by the Supreme Court has been given the mandate to investigate whether 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.The committee is expected to submit its report in two months. Since the committee is made up of experts and retired SC judges, Pawar believes that their findings will be impartial and credible.The Opposition's StanceWhile Pawar believes that a JPC probe is unnecessary, many opposition parties have supported the demand for a JPC probe. The Congress party, in particular, has been vocal in its demand for a JPC probe into the Hindenburg-Adani row.However, Pawar has pointed out that the Supreme Court's intervention makes a JPC probe redundant. He also suggested that the ruling party's majority in Parliament could influence the probe's outcome.ConclusionIn conclusion, Sharad Pawar, the NCP chief, and senior opposition leader, believes that there is no need for a JPC probe into the Adani issue since the Supreme Court-appointed committee is examining the relevant issues. He also believes that the committee's findings will be impartial and credible since it is made up of experts and retired SC judges.However, many opposition parties, including Congress, have supported the demand for a JPC probe. Ultimately, it will be up to the Supreme Court's expert committee to investigate the matter and determine the veracity of the allegations made in the Hindenburg Research report.

On Wednesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticized the Congress for their ongoing protests against the conviction and disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha by a Surat court. Sarma stated that the trend the Congress was setting with its protests was not good for democracy.During a speech at the state Assembly on Wednesday, Sarma took a dig at Rahul, stating that BJP MLAs would never wear black clothes and demonstrate if a court convicts him in a case. Instead, they might challenge the verdict by moving to a higher court, but they would never defy the judiciary.https://twitter.com/himantabiswa/status/1641010459934605312He also made a dig at Rahul, stating that no one can cast doubt on the country's judicial system if a particular judgment goes against them. Sarma emphasized the need to respect the judiciary and not to defy it, even if one disagrees with a verdict. He encouraged the Congress to explore all legal avenues open to them and approach a higher court against the Surat court verdict.Sarma pointed out that court judgments may go in one's favor or against them and that launching protests against a particular judgment is not justifiable. He further criticized the Congress for opposing Rahul's immediate disqualification from Parliament, stating that it could be harmful to democracy.Sarma reminded the Congress that it was the previous UPA government that went back on its decision to bring an Ordinance against the immediate disqualification of MPs and MLAs after Rahul voiced his opposition to the move.Sarma also criticized Rahul's remark made during a public meeting at Kolar, Karnataka, in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, stating that it was against an entire community. He reminded the Congress that during the court hearing, Rahul Gandhi was given several opportunities to retract his statement and apologize, but he refused to do so, prompting the court to rule against him.The Surat court convicted Rahul Gandhi of criminal defamation over his remark using the surname 'Modi' and sentenced him to two years' imprisonment. However, the sentence was later suspended for a period of 30 days during which he can challenge his conviction in a higher court.As per a Supreme Court ruling in 2013, Rahul was disqualified as an MP on March 24, since any MP or MLA stands to be disqualified automatically if convicted and sentenced to two years or more. The Congress had alleged that Rahul was stripped off his status of MP for raising the Adani issue in Parliament, but Sarma stated that Rahul's disqualification was due to his conviction and not any other reason.

Follow Us on Google NewsOn Monday, both Houses of Parliament passed the Finance Bill 2023, marking the completion of the budgetary process for the session. The Lok Sabha approved the bill, which included an amendment from the version passed last week, while the Rajya Sabha passed it with an amendment moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier in the day. The bill aimed to correct an inadvertent mistake in the Securities Transaction Tax levied on options trading, with the intended rate of 0.0625 replacing the previous rate of 0.05. The STT on futures trading was also increased from 0.017% to 0.021%.However, the passing of the bill was not without controversy, as opposition members vocally protested during the session. They were demanding a joint parliamentary probe into the Adani issue and protesting the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha. The opposition continued their protests on Monday, which marked the 10th consecutive day of such demonstrations. The Rajya Sabha managed to pass five bills amid the ruckus, including the Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation (No. 2) Bill and the Finance Bill 2023.Opposition parties, who have been pressing for a JPC probe into the Adani issue, held a black protest against the government on Monday in support of Rahul Gandhi following his disqualification from Lok Sabha. A meeting was held at the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in the evening, attended by leaders from 18 parties. They decided to continue their black protest on Tuesday against the BJP-led government over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi and what they see as "trampling upon democracy in the country." A final decision will be taken in the morning.The opposition members also took out a march on Monday morning wearing black attire or bands as part of their protest. Days after his disqualification, Rahul Gandhi was sent notice by the Lok Sabha House Committee to vacate his official bungalow. The Congress leader was disqualified from the Lok Sabha on Friday, a day after he was sentenced to two years imprisonment in a defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur accused Congress of drama over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha and criticized the opposition's protests.