Congress stages dharna outside SBI offices in Himachal Pradesh, demands probe into Adani group

Shimla, February 6

The Congress on Monday staged a dharna in front of the offices of the State Bank of India (SBI) in Himachal Pradesh seeking an impartial investigation into the allegations made against the Adani group in the Hindenburg Research report.

The party leaders sought the probe to be conducted either under the watch of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) or by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC).

They alleged that the Modi government was selling all the government properties and giving benefits to a few selected industrialists.

The call for nationwide protests was given by All India Congress Chief (AICC), said state Congress chief, Pratibha Singh, accusing the Modi government of exposing the masses’ investments to risk.

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Banks have invested about Rs 26,500 crore and Rs 80,000 crore, respectively in the Adani group and Congress is worried about the people who have invested their hard-earned income in LIC and banks, Singh said.

Adani Group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after the US short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations last fortnight in its report, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation at the Gautam Adani-led group, which has denied the charges.

The market losses of the Adani Group have risen to nearly USD 103 billion (about Rs 8.5 lakh crore).

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have alleged that the meltdown in Adani Group shares is a scam involving common people’s money.

On Thursday, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said responding to the “public sentiments and outrage against the moves of the government”, the Congress Party has decided to hold a nationwide district-level protest on Monday, February 6, 2023, in front of LIC offices and SBI offices.