New Delhi: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (October 28) questioned which “legal and commercial matter” required Tata Trusts and Tata Sons to be “hosted” at Union home minister Amit Shah’s residence, as he traded barbs with Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the ongoing dispute.Gandhi alleged that the Tata Group was being “criminally destroyed” and that “no business leader dares” to 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,” Gandhi said.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 (@RahulGandhi) October 28, 2026Sitharaman, in response, asked him to “stop politicising every issue”, noting it was a “commercial and legal” matter. But the war of words did not stop there.The exchange came amid the dispute over the leadership of Tata Sons, and whether it should be listed on the stock exchanges. In a letter dated October 26, Tata Group patriarch Noel Tata, who also chairs Tata Trusts, challenged the validity of the September 17 Tata Sons board resolution concerning N. Chandrasekaran’s reappointment as executive chairman. He questioned whether the company’s Articles of Association were followed, seeks the preservation of records and raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest.Also read: Noel Tata Deserves Answers From the Tata Sons BoardTata Trusts owns 65.9% of Tata Sons and has veto powers over the Tata Sons board decisions.“Being the LoP, I suggest you refrain from politicising every issue. Also, casually labelling commercial and legal matters as criminal is unacceptable,” Sitharaman told the Congress MP.She questioned whether Gandhi was trying to “incite” business leaders to join him in “spreading distrust & toxicity.”“For decades, your party had smothered the spirit of the Indian entrepreneurs under the stifling ‘Licence-Quota Raj’ & inflicted poverty on crores of Indians,” she alleged, further claiming that the Modi government has driven economic growth and supported industries.Sitharaman called his arguments “baseless aspersions” and accused him of “ seeing ghosts everywhere.” “The Constitution of India ensures justice to all its citizens & our Honourable Courts are entrusted with upholding it. History is witness to the shoddy manner in which you, your party and the PMs belonging to your party have demeaned the judiciary. So Rahul ji, refrain from seeing ghosts everywhere,” she wrote.Being the LoP @RahulGandhi, I suggest you refrain from politicising every issue. Also, casually labelling commercial and legal matters as criminal is unacceptable.You have repeatedly decried the successes of Indian industry & our entrepreneurs. Now, are you trying to incite our business leaders to join you in spreading distrust & toxicity?For decades, your party had smothered the spirit of the Indian entrepreneurs under the stifling ‘Licence-Quota Raj’ & inflicted poverty on crores of Indians.On the other hand, our government led by PM @narendramodi values the Indian industry as job creators & drivers of economic growth. Our policies have been tailored to enable enterprise, support industry and encourage investment.Political parties, leaders, governments and institutions share an equal responsibility to support our industry, strengthen our farmers and secure the future of our youth.Therefore, it is essential to engage constructively rather than casting baseless aspersions to suit your narrow political motives.The Constitution of India ensures justice to all its citizens & our Honourable Courts are entrusted with upholding it. History is witness to the shoddy manner in which you, your party and the PMs belonging to your party have demeaned the judiciary.So Rahul ji, refrain from seeing ghosts everywhere.— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) October 28, 2026Gandhi then countered it seeking answers to two pointed questions. He wrote: “Dear Mrs. Sitarama, 1.Which “legal and commercial matter” required Tata Trusts and Tata Sons to be hosted at Amit Shah’s residence? 2.When is crony number 1 going to appear in the game and which pieces of Tata is he going to get?”He added that “all India’s businesses except 3-4 of your cronies, already hate all of you and don’t need any incitement.”Dear Mrs. Sitarama,1.Which “legal and commercial matter” required Tata Trusts and Tata Sons to be hosted at Amit Shah’s residence?2.When is crony number 1 going to appear in the game and which pieces of Tata is he going to get?Finally, all India’s businesses except 3-4 of your cronies, already hate all of you and don’t need any incitement.— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 28, 2026According to a PTI report, Noel Tata, N. Chandrasekaran, Tata Trusts vice chairman Venu Srinivasan and trustee Darius Khambata had met Shah at his residence on October 7, 2025 amid the ongoing infighting. Sitharaman had also reportedly joined the meeting later in the evening.Chandrasekaran had stepped down as the Tata Group’s top executive on August 12 amid differences with Noel Tata. However, on September 17, the Tata Sons’ board reappointed him, a move that Tata Trusts termed “illegal”.