Published: Wednesday, Dec 8, 2010, 12:25 IST
By Harish Gupta | Place: New Delhi | Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_public-accounts-committee-probe-punctures-opposition-s-jpc-stir_1478202
Leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) attacked on Tuesday senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, who, as public accounts committee (PAC) chief, decided to launch a probe into the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
NDA leaders were furious that the probe was launched while the entire opposition was still fighting a bitter battle with the UPA government for constitution of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC).
As soon as the meeting began on Tuesday, NDA convenor and JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav took serious objection to PAC initiating a probe into the 2G scam, inviting witnesses and cross examining them. This, he said, was puncturing the very cause of the opposition which had been holding up parliament for 18 days. Yadav said that had given a tool to UPA to avoid a JPC and put NDA on backfoot.
This was also the first formal meeting of BJP and its allies to discuss the situation arising out of the logjam in parliament. Senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Akali Dal’s Harsimrat Kaur and Shiv Sena leaders were present.
Yashwant Sinha explained at the meeting that PAC had taken up the issue of 2G spectrum allocation issue when Gopinath Munde was its chairman. After Munde, it was Joshi who became chairman of the 22-member body comprising leaders from all political parties. This showed that PAC had taken up the issue much before the opposition decided to stall parliament.
Joshi interjected to say that PAC had taken up even before CAG submitted its report and the committee’s work had been going for more than three months. PAC had held 5 meetings on the issue while parliament was being stalled.
The NDA leaders, however, took respite in the fact that PAC was no match to JPC, which has tremendous powers. PAC cannot summon witnesses unwilling and refuse to cooperate. Secondly, the government can refuse to provide documents in the name of national interest before, which it cannot before JPC.
While Joshi could not be contacted and Advani preferred silence, others supported Sharad Yadav.
