JPC/PAC: Rein in Joshi, Congress tells BJP
April 4th, 2011 - 9:28 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, April 4 (IANS) Was a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) needed to probe the 2G spectrum controversy or did the BJP insist on it just to “score brownie points”, the Congress wondered Monday and asked the opposition party to “rein in” its leader Murli Manohar Joshi who heads another parliamentary panel probing the same issue.
Amid concerns expressed by JPC chairperson P.C. Chacko about a “parallel probe” by the Public Accounts Committee headed by Joshi into the 2G spectrum controversy, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said: “If they (BJP) believe in the efficacy of JPC, they need to rein in their member who is chairperson of PAC.”
Replying to queries about “a turf war” between the JPC and the PAC, Tewari said he was not sure if it would be appropriate for him to comment as he is a member of the JPC.
“But this is true that when the BJP demanded JPC (on 2G spectrum scam), they said that PAC does not have powers to deal with policy issues. But the way the area of work of PAC has expanded, the BJP should rethink if JPC was needed or the demand was made only to score brownie points,” Tewari said.
He said the entire winter session of parliament was whitewashed because of the opposition’s strident demand for the JPC.
The JPC is looking into irregularities in implementation of government policies from 1998 to 2009 in the allocation and pricing of telecom licences and spectrum.
Chacko and Joshi met Speaker Meira Kumar last week to put forth their case on the controversy over the jurisdiction of the two committees.
Chacko has said it is not normal for two parliamentary committees to enquire into the same subject. He said parliament had unanimously endorsed the JPC and a “parallel probe” into the same subject should be avoided.
Joshi has maintained that PAC has wide-ranging powers which go beyond examining the Comptroller and Auditor General reports.
- Tewari's 'rein him in' remark irks Joshi - Apr 05, 2011
- PAC report on 2G spectrum allocation by April: Joshi - Mar 24, 2011
- PAC vs JPC: 2G spectrum probe turf war intensifies - Mar 24, 2011
- Let Chacko give his suggestions in writing, says Joshi - Mar 16, 2011
- CAG report on 2G with parliamentary panel - Nov 23, 2010
- PM offers to appear before PAC, BJP's Joshi says will decide (Roundup) - Dec 27, 2010
- Congress, not BJP, running parallel 2G trial: Joshi - Nov 03, 2011
- PAC will decide on PM's offer to appear before it: Joshi (Second Lead) - Dec 27, 2010
- Tata, Radia likely to appear before PAC Monday - Apr 04, 2011
- PAC calls Nair, Chandrasekhar for 2G probe questioning - Apr 07, 2011
- Wide-ranging inquiry by PAC not required: JPC chief - Mar 15, 2011
- PAC meet fails to resolve internal divisions - Apr 21, 2011
- Government says no to JPC probe into 2G spectrum allocation - Nov 11, 2010
- PAC invites opinions on 2G spectrum allocation - Dec 24, 2010
- Joshi has destroyed public trust in PAC: Congress - Apr 28, 2011
Tags: bjp, brownie points, chacko, chairperson, comptroller, government policies, irregularities, jpc, manish, manohar joshi, meira kumar, opposition party, pac, parliamentary committee, parliamentary committees, parliamentary panel, public accounts committee, tewari, turf war, winter session