Putting at rest speculation about his reported meeting with Adani Group founder Gautam Adani, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday denied having ever met the business tycoon and reiterated the INDIA Bloc’s demand for a Joint-Parliamentary Probe into the alleged irregularities of the conglomerate.
“Adani had not visited me and I have never met him,” the Chief Minister told the assembly, responding to opposition Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) legislator GK Mani during Question Hour. Though Speaker M Appavu initially declined to permit him to raise the issue since it was already before Parliament, the PMK leader persisted and had his way. The PMK leader sought clarification from Stalin on Tamil Nadu being linked to the indictment of Adani in a US court, which he said was a very serious one.
Clarifying on the floor of the House, Stalin made it clear that he had no connection whatsoever with the industrialist. “A misinformation campaign is there about the Adani Group’s investments in the state. It is only the PMK and the BJP which are engaged in carrying out a disinformation campaign that I am linked to the industrialist,” he said, asking whether the two parties are prepared for a JPC probe in this issue.
“Are you prepared for a JPC,” he pointedly asked Mani and said it is the consistent demand of the INDIA Bloc, which is also pressing for a discussion in Parliament. “Electricity Minister Senthil Balaji has already put the records straight and I have also clarified many times. Since the issue is being politicised, I am compelled to clarify again,” the Chief Minister said.
It was PMK founder S Ramadoss who had recently demanded that the Chief Minister should clarify about the media reports of a meeting with Gautam Adani at his official residence. When asked about this at a media interaction, Stalin was dismissive of the PMK leader saying, “He is jobless and hence is issuing statements everyday critical of the government. It is not necessary to respond to them.
Gautam Adani and his son Karan Adani had visited Chennai recently, but the purpose was not made public