Manish Tewari writes to Standing Committee on Finance Chairperson, suggests to examine allegations against Adani Group

New Delhi [India], March 28 : Congress MP and member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, Manish Tewari has suggested the Chairperson of the Committee Jayant Sinha to "forthwith examine allegations against Adani Group made by Hindenburg Research".
In a letter to Sinha dated March 24, it suggests that the Committee summon SEBI and RBI, officials from LIC, Ministry of Corporate Affairs and other regulatory bodies "to ascertain whether there were any failures on their part on the Adani issue."
The letter has also been signed by Congress MPs and members Gaurav Gogoi and Pramod Tiwari.
"We find it surprising that this Committee is prepared to have a hearing on the recent SVB bank-run. The said bank is based in California and has little to no effect on the regulatory mechanisms of our country. Yet the Committee is unwilling to have a discussion on the Adani affair which struck a blow to investor confidence in our own capital market," the letter read.
"Finally, may we respectfully point out that it is not required for Members of Parliament to present evidence before exercising their privilege of freedom of speech provided for in Article 105(1) of the Constitution. This privilege is wide and unfettered and extends to meetings of parliamentary committees. It does not require the presentation of evidence beforehand (vide Griffith and Ryle, "Parliament: Functions, Practice, and Procedures"). In any case, allegations regarding the Adani Group are in the public domain and have been debated outside the house for weeks now. Under these circumstances, we would like to urge you to summon representatives of RBI, SBI, LIC, and any other relevant stakeholders to examine the Adani affair in detail," it added.
Earlier on Monday, the opposition led by Congress staged a protest in the Parliament complex and led a march towards Vijay Chowk against the Centre over the Adani Group issue and Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as MP from Lok Sabha.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday hit out at the Centre and said that the opposition leaders are wearing black attire to show that democracy is being trampled in the country.
Kharge alleged that the Centre used the probe agencies to bend those who did not bow before the government.
"I thank the opposition leaders for raising their voice against Rahul Gandhi's disqualification. Why are we here in black clothes? We want to show that PM Modi is ending democracy in the country. He first finished autonomous bodies, then they put up their own govt everywhere by threatening those who had won polls. Then they used ED, CBI to use bend those who didn't bow," Kharge said.
Explaining the advantages of the constitution of a Joint Parliamentary Committee, the Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition said that there will be transparency after the report is out. He further questioned the government stating that there will be more number of representations from the BJP and its allies in the JPC.
"They ask for authenticity for everything in the Parliament. The government has not been able to answer the questions raised by us. MPs of 18 parties are here today. Not a single party is missing. We are asking for a JPC on the matter. The truth will come out. Records will be checked. Whatever will come out, will be known to all. There will be transparency. Why are you scared of constituting a JPC? You have a majority. You (BJP) will have more members in the JPC or will have your allies," he said.
"You are scared which means that there is something fishy. So we are all together today to show unity," Kharge stressed.
Calling it a black day for democracy, the Congress leader said that the government disqualified Rahul Gandhi as MP from Lok Sabha with "lightning speed" and emphasised that neither Rahul Gandhi nor the opposition parties will be deterred.
"In Rahul Gandhi's case, what he said in an election rally in Kolar, Karnataka, the case is filed in Surat, Gujarat. Because you wanted a favourable government. You want to use the police, you want to use, I can't say judiciary, but you want to use for your purpose to defame Rahul Gandhi. It is a black day in democracy. The BJP government disqualified Rahul Gandhi with lightning speed. Rahul Gandhi will not be scared. The opposition parties will not be suppressed no matter how much you try to do so. We will not bow. We will try to launch a campaign in this regard," he said.
The opposition MPs held a meeting on Monday at the chamber of LoP Rajya Sabha and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in the Parliament building on Monday to formulate the strategy for the day.
The opposition parties which participated in the meeting include DMK, Samajwadi Party, JD(U), Bharat Rashtra Samithi, CPI(M), RJD, Nationalist Congress Party, CPI, IUML, MDMK, Kerala Congress, TMC, RSP, AAP, J-K NC and Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction).
Trinamool Congress MPs had also participated in the meeting which came as a huge development following Rahul Gandhi's suspension as MP from Lok Sabha.