"We Will Meet In Court Of Law": Assam Chief Minister Slams Rahul Gandhi

Reacting to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's tweet targeting Congress turncoats over the Adani issue, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that it was "our decency to never have asked you about Bofors and National Herald scams and we will meet in a court of law".

"It was our decency to have never asked you, on where have you concealed the proceeds of crime from the Bofors and National Herald scams. And how you allowed Ottavio Quattrocchi to escape the clutches of Indian justice multiple times. Any way we will meet in the court of law," Assam Chief Minister tweeted.

Mr Sarma's barbs came in the wake of Rahul Gandhi's stinging tweet, wherein he posted a picture, sporting the names of former Congress leaders, who have jumped ship to the Bharatiya Janata Party or have snapped decades-old ties with the grand old party including Mr Sarma, Ghulam Nabi Azad and former Defence Minister AK Antony's son Anil Antony.

The Congress leader's fresh Adani reference came a day after NCP chief and senior opposition leader Sharad Pawar said that there is "no need" for a JPC probe into the findings of the Hindenburg report, a tool Congress and its ally have been using to attack the ruling BJP.

However, Rahul Gandhi, in his tweet, asserted that he will keep sticking to the Adani issue.

"They hide the truth, that's why they mislead every day! The question remains the same - who has Rs 20,000 crore benami money in Adani's companies?" Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

Mr Pawar on Friday had said that there is "no need" for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue since the Supreme Court-appointed committee is examining the relevant issues and that it seems the Adani group was "targeted" in the Hindenburg Research report.

"....Someone gave a statement, and it created uproar in the country. Such statements were given earlier too, which created ruckus. But the importance given to the issue this time was out of proportion. There was a need to think who raised the issue (gave report). We had not heard the name who gave the statement. What is the background?. When such issues are raised, they create uproar in the country, the cost is borne ....how it impacts the economy. We can't ignore such things, and it seems (it) was targeted," Mr Pawar told NDTV in an interview.

NCP chief's remarks are at variance with those of Congress which has insisted on a JPC probe into the Hindenburg-Adani row. Some other opposition parties have also supported the demand for a JPC probe.

Mr Pawar, a former union minister, said a demand was raised for a probe into Adani issue and the Supreme Court took the initiative and appointed a committee which has retired a SC judge, experts, administrators and economists.

He said the committee has been given guidelines, a timeframe and asked to submit the probe report.

He said the Opposition wanted a Parliamentary Committee to probe the matter and added that BJP has a majority in Parliament.

"Today, who has the majority in Parliament, the ruling party. The demand was against the ruling party. The committee to probe against the ruling party will have majority members from the ruling party. How will the truth come out, there can be apprehensions. If Supreme Court investigates the matter, where there is no influence, there is a better chance of the truth coming out. And once the SC announced a committee for probing the matter, there was no need of JPC (probe)," he said.

Notably, the second half of the budget session saw continuous disruptions over JPC demand for a probe into the Hindenburg-Adani row.

The Supreme Court had last month set up a six-member expert committee "to investigate if there was a regulatory failure in dealing with the alleged contravention of laws pertaining to the securities market in relation to the Adani Group or other companies".

The committee was asked to give the report in two months.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)