Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 1 (IANS) Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Murli Manohar Joshi, who had courted controversy over his draft report on the 2G spectrum issue, was Sunday re-appointed chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar for one more year.

Joshi’s one-year-term as ended Saturday.

The name of Joshi, 77, Lok Sabha member from Varanasi, was recommended by the BJP, an official said.

BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy expressed gratitude to speaker for re-appointing Josi.

“It is an honour of democratic traditions,” he said.

The party also congratulated Joshi for “his maturity and concern for the country”.

Rudy said that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal should seek an apology for his reported remarks that the place of draft report was in the dustbin as it had been rejected by the majority.

“Such remarks coming from a senior minister are shocking. We expect he should apologise to the parliamentary committee,” he said.

He also said some ministers had passed slips to members of the PAC at its meeting Thursday.

“It is first time that the independence of parliament proceedings had been interrupted. They should be ashamed of what they were doing. I do not know if Congress is ashamed but people are watching,” Rudy said.

The draft report on allocation of 2G spectrum, which indirectly criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh among others for mishandling the allocation, was Thursday rejected by 11 of the 21 members of the PAC belonging to the United Progressive Alliance constituents and supporting parties.

Joshi, however, submitted “the finalised report” to the speaker Saturday and alleged that the prime minister remained a mute spectator to the events.

The PAC conducts audits of reports on various ministries and departments, which are basically prepared by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).