Not against JPC probe over Adani issue, but SC panel will be effective: Pawar

NCP is one of the Opposition parties that has joined the demand for the JPC into the Adani issue in Parliament.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that he is not completely opposed to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the charges against Adani Group, but the Supreme Court-monitored panel will be more “useful and effective”.

Explaining his stance, Mr. Pawar said, “It is true that NCP is one of the Opposition parties that has joined the demand for the JPC into the Adani issue in Parliament. But in a JPC, 15 persons will be from the ruling party and only five to six members will be there from the Opposition. If the majority is from the ruling party, then it is not certain how much truth will come in front of the country,” he said while speaking to reporters here. He added that a Supreme Court-monitored panel will be more useful and effective.

In an interview to NDTV on the allegations by the Hidenburg Research on the Adani Group, he had said, “There is no need a JPC”, which is viewed as breaking away from the Opposition on the issue.

Commenting on this, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said those protesting on the Adani issue should pay heed to Mr. Pawar’s comments. Mr. Shinde said, “The Congress started an agitation seeking explanation of ₹20,000 crore in the Adani group. Even Uddhav Thackeray continuously spoke on this issue. Now Mr. Pawar has commented and those who are protesting should heed these comments. Mr. Pawar is a very senior politician and must have spoken on the Adani issue after much study, and therefore those protesting must clarify their stand.

However, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut said Mr. Pawar’s statement has no impact on the unity of the Opposition. He said, “We have known Sharad Pawar for a long time and we have seen his position on Gautam Adani from the very beginning. This doesn’t mean that there are any differences in the Opposition unity. On the issue of whether there should be a JPC probe or a Supreme Court inquiry, he has a viewpoint. He may have a different view, but Shiv Sena will stand where the entire Opposition is standing.”