SC-Appointed Committee Will Be 'Clean Chit' Panel For Govt: Congress Over Adani Row

Addressing a press conference, Congress said that the only way to thoroughly investigate the Adani issue is through a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh while addressing a press conference ( Image Source :Twitter | @INCIndia )

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday said that the only way to thoroughly investigate the Adani row is through a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) while claiming that a Supreme Court-appointed expert committee would rather be a 'clean chit' panel for the government.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the government is willing to withdraw its demand for an apology over Rahul Gandhi's remarks in the UK provided the Congress takes back its demand for a JPC probe, reported news agency PTI.

Congress leader said that there was no question of an apology and the demand for a JPC probe in non-negotiable.

Addressing a press conference as the party's total questions asked under its 'Hum Adani Ke Hain Kaun' initiative reached the 100-mark, Ramesh said the party has previously posed 99 questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi since February 5 in connection with the Adani issue.

"We conclude the series with a final question asking whether you will act in national interest using the vast army of investigative agencies at your disposal," PTI quoted him as saying during the conference.

सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने जो विशेषज्ञों की समिति बैठाई है, वह अडानी केंद्रित है। वह अडानी से सवाल पूछेगी।

लेकिन हम अडानी से नहीं, PM मोदी और सरकार से सवाल कर रहे हैं।

हमारे सवाल सिर्फ JPC में ही उठाए जा सकते हैं, SC की समिति इस बारे में सोचेगी भी नहीं।

: @Jairam_Ramesh जी pic.twitter.com/X7T1bWvOtU

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 22, 2023

He stated that the Supreme Court-appointed Expert Committee which was appointed on March 2 unfortunately lacks formal jurisdiction over these agencies. "While we pray that the Supreme Court's Expert Committee produces a fair and thorough investigation of the 'Adani Scam', we note that it lacks jurisdiction over the investigative agencies mentioned above and that its scope does not include examining cronyism and your political interference in governance aimed at 'enriching' your friends."

He further said that the key to examining all relevant aspects of this scam is a JPC probe as both Congress and BJP governments in the past have agreed to investigate major cases of stock market manipulation.

While taking a jibe at BJP, the Congress leader said, "You have never hesitated to deploy them against the opposition, civil society, and independent businesses. We now appeal to you, with some irony, to use them as they are intended, to investigate the most brazen case of corruption and cronyism the country has witnessed since 1947."