Indian opposition parties held a protest march from Parliament House to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi on Wednesday to demand an investigation into the Adani-Hindenburg scandal and highlight the alleged misuse of federal agencies by the ruling BJP.
The Congress Party-led march counted on the participation of around 16 opposition parties which looked to submit a complaint to the federal probe agency.
Police had beefed up security outside the ED in the city in the wake of the scheduled march, putting up barricades to stop the marchers from proceeding to the federal agency's office. As a result, protesters had to call off their march but threatened to release a joint complaint letter soon.
Commenting on the situation, Congress chief and leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of trying to “suppress our voice”, adding that “if someone talks about these things in a debate, a seminar, they are called anti-national.”
All You Should Know About Adani-Hindenburg Row
On January 24, US-based research firm Hindenburg Research published a report claiming that Indian conglomerate Adani Group allegedly maintained offshore tax havens and accused it of stock price manipulation and accounting fraud.
Refuting the allegations, Adani termed them as “malicious”, “baseless” and a “calculated attack on India."
Meanwhile, after the report was published, several opposition parties attacked the federal government, accusing it of “shielding” Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani. A plea was filed in the Supreme Court seeking an investigation.
Following the demands by the oppositon, India's apex court set up a six-member committee of experts to examine issues arising from the stock crash. The committee was tasked with an overall assessment of the issue and suggesting further stock market regulatory measures.
The court also requested the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the market regulator, to probe the matter and submit a report in two weeks.
Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani welcomed the top court’s order, saying “it will bring finality in a time-bound manner” and the “truth will prevail”.