Sharad Pawar's stand on Adani JPC is baseless: Congress's Ashok Chavan

MUMBAI: Former CM Prithviraj Chavan of the Congress on Monday said NCP president Sharad Pawar's contention that a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Adani controversy would not serve any purpose as NDA members would be in a majority on it was "baseless". He said the JPC formed in 2003 to look into pesticides in cold drinks, headed by Pawar, had been effective.He also alleged PM Modi has found "a novel way" to avoid a JPC as "he has chosen a prominent opposition member to halt the probe into the Adani scam".
He made these remarks at a meeting of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.
Chavan said that compared to a court-monitored committee, JPC has "tremendous powers" as it can summon anyone and if the person does not respond, he/she can be sent to jail for defying the JPC's orders.
Pawar did excellent work as JPC chairman in 2003, says Chavan
Former CM Prithviraj Chavan on Monday debunked NCP leader’s Sharad Pawar’s statement on the futility of a JPC into the Adani issue. Chavan said he was himself a member of the committee headed by Pawar in 2003. “Pawar was not in the BJP then, and the outcome of the JPC probe was excellent. As a result, we are now getting pure drinking water and cold drinks too. I must admit that as JPC chairman, Pawar had done excellent work,” Chavan said. While Pawar has said the SC-monitored committee is looking into the issue, the Congress has been pushing for a JPC. “I can understand differences over key issues.
What hurt me is the fact that Sharad Pawar granted an interview opposing the JPC to a channel owned by Adani,” he said. Chavan said a JPC alone can reveal the truth in the “scam.” He alleged that PM Modi “fears” a JPC and added that during Congress rule, JPCs were set up to probe the Bofors, Harshad Mehta and Ketan Parekh scam during the tenure of then PMs Rajiv Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and A B Vajpayee respectively. “We had demanded a JPC into the Rafale deal, notebandi, GST and lockdown. We know Modi will never concede our demand,” he said.
Chavan said ever since Rahul Gandhi has taken up the Adani scam, the BJP government has been unable to face the situation, and Modi has not responded to a single question. “Rahul Gandhi has raised basic questions. He sought information on the source of funding for the Adani group. BJP must realise that now Rahul Gandhi has emerged as a force to reckon with and no one can defeat him,” he said. Chavan said it was high time BJP explained “the relationship between Modi and Adani”. Pawar had on Sunday also said that the qualification of a PM has not been an issue in politics in the country.