'His logic can be understood': Tharoor on Pawar's views on JPC over Adani row

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday responded to NCP chief Sharad Pawar's views on a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Hindenburg-Adani row, saying his "logic can be understood."

"His (Sharad Pawar) logic can be understood because the rule for constituting a JPC is that the ruling party will be part of it, and above 50 per cent of members in the JPC will be from the NDA, if one is formed. But we still want the Opposition to ask questions and seek answers and evidence through the JPC," ANI quoted Tharoor as saying in Bengaluru.

However, he pointed out that the NCP stood by the opposition parties which demanded a JPC probe into the Adani row. "But we still want the Opposition to ask questions and seek answers and evidence through the JPC. The NCP stood with us in the Parliament and during our protest march to Vijay Chowk," he added.

In an interview, Pawar came out in support of the Adani Group and criticised the narrative around Hindenburg Research's report on the conglomerate.

"Such statements were given by other individuals earlier too and there was a ruckus in Parliament for a few days but this time out-of-proportion importance was given to the issue," he said.

"The issues that were kept, who kept them, we had never heard of these people who gave the statement, what is the background. When they raise issues that cause a ruckus across the country, the cost is borne by the country's economy, we cannot disregard these things. It seems this was targeted," Pawar had said.

On Saturday, the NCP supremo said if a JPC has 21 members, 15 will be from the ruling party and six from the opposition due to numerical strength in Parliament, which will create doubts on the panel.

He said the apex court decided to appoint a panel of retired Supreme Court judges with a direction of submitting the report in a specific time period.

"I am not completely opposed to the JPC...there have been JPCs and I have been a chairman of some of the JPCs. The JPC will be constituted on the basis of majority (in Parliament). Instead of a JPC, I am of the opinion the Supreme Court committee is more useful and effective," Pawar said.

The NCP chief also said he was not aware of the antecedents of United States-based Hindenburg Research, which has alleged stock manipulation and accounting fraud in firms belonging to billionaire Gautam Adani.

"One foreign company takes a position about the situation in the country. We should decide how much focus should be on this. Instead of this (JPC), a Supreme Court panel is more effective," Pawar added.

With inputs from agencies