Congress workers on Monday staged protest in several states against the BJP-led central government amid the party’s demand for a probe by Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into Adani Group over an accusatory report by US short seller Hindenburg. The party workers held protests in Bhopal, Chandigarh, Jammu, Lucknow, and Bhararisain while Congress leaders again shouted slogans in Parliament demanding a JPC probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue. (Also Read | On Adani-Hindenburg row, Centre says no significant impact at systemic level)
Congress MP Deepender Hooda said that the party held protests outside the Raj Bhavan of every state, demanding an investigation into the Adani issue.
In Assam, top Congress leaders, including state president and MLAs, were detained during a ‘Raj Bhawan Chalo’ programme by the party, reported PTI.
“We were not allowed to take out our march towards the Raj Bhawan. Police prevented us from leaving the assembly site,” Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar, who was present at the protest site, told PTI.
“We were arrested and taken to Latasil Police Station. We were later allowed to leave on PR bond,” he added.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took out a protest march from Parliament House complex to Vijay Chowk along with MPs of other opposition parties, charging that there was no rule of law and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was running the country like a “dictator”. (Also Read | Priyanka Chaturvedi says ‘disgusting’ after Mahua Moitra’s fresh salvo at Adani group)
The protest march was taken out after the Bharatiya Janata Party launched an offensive against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for allegedly defaming India by his remarks on democracy in London.
Referring to the ruckus in the Parliament over Gandhi’s remarks, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi “got his drumbeaters to get Parliament adjourned today so that the demand for JPC into the Adani MahaMegaScam does not get raised.”
Meanwhile, the government has informed the Parliament that Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is investigating market allegations against Adani Group, whose 9 listed companies saw a 60 per cent decline in their market capitalisation between January 24 and March 1. Minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in the Lok Sabha that the volatility in the stocks of these companies have not had any significant impact at the systemic level.
(With PTI inputs)
