Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the BJP-led government of treating Indian businesses as its "plaything", alleging that business leaders were afraid to speak out, amid a dispute over the reappointment of N Chandrasekaran as Executive Chairman of Tata Sons.
In a post shared on X, Rahul Gandhi alleged that Tata was being "criminally destroyed" and questioned the silence of business leaders over the matter.
“Tata is being criminally destroyed, and no business leader dares say a word. How long will you stay silent? Until they own you? Indian business is not Modi and Shah's plaything. You lack courage. We don't. We will ensure justice for these crimes,” Rahul Gandhi said.
The remarks come amid a dispute within the Tata Group after Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata challenged the validity of Tata Sons’ board resolution reappointing N Chandrasekaran, alleging procedural irregularities in the September 17 meeting.
In a letter dated October 26 to Tata Sons Company Secretary Suprakash Mukhopadhyay, Noel said the agenda circulated to directors did not explicitly mention Chandrasekaran’s reappointment. He alleged that no Selection Committee was constituted as required under the company’s Articles of Association and that the necessary approvals from directors appointed under Article 104B had not been obtained.
Noel also questioned the company’s decision to treat the resolution as final despite unresolved objections and alleged that it had withheld the meeting’s audio and video recordings, final minutes and a certified copy of the resolution despite repeated requests.
“The resolution is void,” he stated in the letter, arguing that the reappointment did not comply with the relevant provisions of Tata Sons’ Articles of Association. He also questioned the circulation of a certified copy of the resolution in the public domain and its reported filing with the Registrar of Companies before the minutes had been finalised.
Seeking to establish the sequence of events at the meeting, Noel said the recordings were the only neutral record of the proceedings. He has sought the recordings, final or revised minutes, voting details, the formal notice, different versions of the agenda and documents filed with the Registrar of Companies and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs within seven days.
He has also asked Tata Sons to formally inform the Registrar that the resolution’s validity is disputed by a director nominated under Article 104B and by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. Noel further urged the company to refrain from taking any additional steps on the resolution until the meeting records are settled.
(With inputs from ANI)