Workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) protest throughout states, seeking an investigation into the Adani Group.
The Aam Aadmi Party rallied outside the BJP offices in New Delhi on Sunday, demanding an investigation into the Hindenburg report’s charges of fraud against the Adani company.
Gopal Rai, the party’s Delhi convener, stated that a joint parliamentary committee comprised of representatives of many parties should investigate the situation.
“BJP is evading the investigation. “Only Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is fearless in the face of any investigation,” he claimed.
AAP workers protest in Chandigarh
The Chandigarh Police deployed water cannons on Sunday to prevent AAP protesters from approaching the local BJP office as part of their demonstration against the central government over the Adani issue.
Workers of the Aam Aadmi Party, gathered from various areas of Punjab, intended to “gherao” the office of the Punjab BJP in Sector 37 to protest the party’s leadership of the central government.
Police were heavily deployed and barricades were erected to prevent demonstrators from approaching the Punjab BJP office.
According to officials, the police utilised a water cannon as AAP workers attempted to force their way inside the BJP headquarters.
AAP members carrying party banners chanted slogans against the BJP government about the Adani issue.
Jagdeep Kamboj, AAP MLA for the Jalalabad constituency, accused the BJP of failing on all fronts.
Later, the police arrested a number of party officials and members.
AAP leader Harchand Singh Barsat previously claimed to reporters at the party office that the Adani Group’s fortunes improved during the BJP’s reign.
Sunny Ahluwalia, another AAP leader, stated that the party will continue to speak out on this subject.
AAP carries out rally in Kolkata
Also in Kolkata, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigation into charges of financial irregularities against Adani Group.
The event, which began at Wellington Square, was supposed to end at the BJP state office on Muralidhar Sen Street, but it concluded near the Calcutta University instead.
The rally participants claimed that the Adani Group, whose shares are suffering market turbulence as a result of the Hindenburg report, has been favoured by the Narendra Modi government in a number of infrastructure projects.
They stated that PSU banks and the LIC also granted loans to the group, so exposing the public’s savings to market volatility.
“We want a comprehensive investigation of the Adani Group’s finances, and for that a JPC must be established,” stated one of the rally’s leaders.
A Kolkata Police officer said that the gathering dispersed after its speakers addressed the participants outside the Calcutta University on College Street, around 500 metres from the BJP state headquarters.
AAP holds protests in Srinagar, Jammu
In a separate issue, police banned AAP members from protesting outside the BJP headquarters in Srinagar over the Adani-Hindenburg dispute on Sunday.
Party members gathered in the Jawahar Nagar neighbourhood and chanted chants against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business magnate Gautam Adani, under the leadership of Jibran Dar, the AAP’s central Kashmir youth president.
Protesters said that Modi was favouring Adani while doing little for average citizens.
Before the demonstrators could reach the local BJP office, the police detained them and escorted them to the local police station.
The AAP also protested outside the BJP office in Jammu and sought a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) investigation into the “largest scam” in independent India.
AAP workers led by senior party leaders gathered in front of the BJP office in Trikuta Nagar and yelled slogans against the BJP-led government, stating that Modi provided all resources to one person and made him the second richest person in India.
Senior AAP politician T S Tony referred to it as the “largest swindle” in independent India, stating, “In 2014, Adani’s assets were valued at Rs 37 billion. They rose to Rs 59 billion in 2018, Rs 2.5 billion in 2020, and Rs 13 billion in 2022. “We are here to inform the public of the BJP’s clear involvement in this scam… “The exposed administration is fleeing and evading questions,” he said.
Tony, chairman of the AAP’s minority welfare branch, urged an investigation by the JPC into the alleged swindle.
Opposition parties have demanded that the Adani Group charges be investigated by the JPC or under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
As a result of protests by opposition parties, especially the AAP, parliamentary procedures during the first week of the current Budget Session were all but cancelled.
