New Delhi: Under Pressure, PM Announces JPC into 2G Scam


New Delhi, Feb 22 (IANS): Giving in to the opposition pressure, the government Tuesday announced the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe alleged irregularities into the allotment of 2G spectrum.

On the second day of the budget session, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to start the process to establish the panel - a common demand of opposition parties.

"The government agrees to setting up of a JPC," Manmohan Singh told the Lok Sabha, announcing the panel to investigate the alleged irregularities in the allocation of 2G spectrum to telecom firms by former communications minister A. Raja who is now in CBI custody.

The prime minister said the winter session was lost due to protests by the opposition and the country couldn't afford to lose another parliament session. The issue had caused a long parliament logjam, washing away the entire winter session last December.

"Our government is committed to root out corruption. The government is fully cooperating with the investigations into the 2G scam," Manmohan Singh said.

He referred to the investigation by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under supervision of the Supreme Court, parliament's Public Accounts Committee, and report of independent inquiry committee.

"Our government believed that as all effective steps are being taken we might have been able to persuade opposition to drop the demand for a JPC. We could not succeed in spite of sincere efforts," admitted Manmohan Singh, adding, "It is in this special circumstance, that our government agrees to setting up of JPC."

He said that as a "functioning democracy", India must strive to resolve differences in spirit of accommodation, not confrontation.

"I am therefore requesting the honourable speaker to proceed with the formation of JPC. The formal motion will be moved soon," said Manmohan Singh.

The significant announcement comes as the opposition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had put tremendous pressure on the government to get the scam investigated by parliament. The panel has the powers to even call for questioning cabinet ministers and the prime minister.

Manmohan Singh said that the process to form the panel would be started soon.

Sources said the follow-up action on the prime minister's announcement would be made in coming days. They said a formal motion for setting up the JPC would be moved by Communications Minister Kapil Sibal after the prime minister replies to the discussion on the motion of thanks to President Pratibha Patil's Monday address to a joint sitting of parliament.

Once the motion gets a go ahead from the Lok Sabha, it will be referred to the Rajya Sabha for approval.

The BJP and other opposition parties welcomed the decision. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj thanked the prime minister and called it a "victory of democracy".

"This is not the victory of ruling or opposition benches. This is the victory of democracy," said Swaraj.

"It is the beauty of Indian democracy that even in the difficult circumstances, we sit down and find the way. This time, it took some more time.

"I would like to tell parliamentarians, let's drop the victory celebrations. We will start proceedings," she said.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Gurudas Dasgupta also welcomed the decision, saying the government had only done its duty. "It's good that good sense has prevailed upon the government. It is the PM's responsibility to see that parliament functions."

The government now hopes that the budget session will be peaceful and productive as no significant business was conducted during the winter session because of the opposition's disruption of proceedings over the JPC demand.

Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur, who represents the Congress in the Lok Sabha, said: "The government now hopes that the parliament will function smoothly. It is a significant decision and the Congress welcomes it."

  

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Comment on this article

  • Alwyn, Mangalore - USA

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) will find out the culprits? Hope they won't tatke bribe or hope there won't be any Mr. Somashekar...tp prove every thing is right. How long they will take, how much money will be wasted, how many MP's will become millionaires. Just let us watch and see the FUN...

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  • Arun CK, Mangalore Dubai

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Dear Radhika.. first of all BJP is not my ancestors land for you to call in "Yours". May be its because of your too much emotional attachment with Kai party is telling you say BJP is mine. I openly admit that BJP is also equally currupt.They are not only currupt but dumb also compared to congress as they havent learnt the idea of Covering like congress. Its just because they have just recently got the experiecne of power. Thats why in desparete to match congress they are doing this way openly.
    Secondly regarding BJP failing to yield to pressure of opposition regarding investigation into scams is because of your weak incombent Congress who themselves have no morality left to point finger at BJP. Just like how your own Bangarappa told 2 days back its a sinking ship and rats are jumping out already. They have to set in order their own house first then check the BJP. Thats why they cant get anytthing out of BJP even after being major opposition in Karnataka. In matter of opposition I appriciate HDK & his party who have given sleepless nights to Yeddi throughout this tenure. JDS is much better than congress or BJP I feel now.

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  • George Cruz, Mangalore/USA

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    It is once again politics played by the congress/UPA. The congress party has ruled India for many years and corrupt like any other party. One more thing, the congress party doesn't serve the interests of majority of the people anymore.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mapusa, Goa

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Ghadkari, Yeddurappa and Reddy’s are holding classes on how to fight corruption.
    Interested candidates please contact Nagesh Nayak, Bangalore.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • mahendra shetty, mumbai,dubai

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    AT LAST OUR MMS WOKE UP, OUR ITALIAN AMMA MAY GAVE HIM GREEN SIGNAL.HE DON'T HAVE ANY GUTS TO TAKE HIS OWN DECISION.OUR REMOTE CONTROLLED PM DON'T KNOW WHATS HAPPENING IN HIS CABINET.SO MANY SCANDAL HAPPENED UNDE HIS REGIME.WHAT ABOUT CWG,ISRO,BLACK MONEY ,ADARSH???....MMS IF YOU ARE NOT CAPABLE PLS HAND OVER TO SOME ONE ELSE.PEOPLE LIKE PRANAB MUKERJEE,CHIDAMBARAM ARE CAPABLE,ATLEAST THEY CAN SPEAK...MAA BETA PARTY KI JAI HO...NAGESH YOU ROCKS...

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  • Shivanand Shetty, Mangalore/Bangalore/USA

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Nithin Poojary, Mangalore/UK and Radhika, Mangalore logo ke ankh mein dhool jokne keliye congress ka natak hai. @Nithin Poojary, Mangalore/UK the congress just takes action against their ministers, but nothing happens the case will go on years together.

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  • venu, mangalore/pune

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Radhika, Mangalore , were u sleeping when CM was ready for similar kind of enquiry.In karnataka they are opposing the CBI enquiry as CBI is a tool of congress to kill polotical rivals

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  • ibrahim, udupi/dammam

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Nagesh Mamoo, where where u since long time, why u comments on MMS only. What about karnataka ministers?

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • nagesh nayak, bangalore

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    AAKHIR AA GAYA HAINA LINE PE.

    BJP WILL NEVER LOOSE ITS FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION.

    BJP WAS TELLING MONEY MINDED SCAMSTER ( MMS ) SINCE 2007 ABOUT IRREGULARITIES & CORRUPTION IN 2G SPECTRUM ALLOCATION.

    MMS DID NOT CARE & OPENLY SUPPORTED ANDY MUTTHU RAJA FOR THE SAKE OF SURVIVAL OF HIS GOVERNMENT.

    NOW WE NEED JPC ENQUIRY ON HANAMADI KALMADI'S CWG & S BAND SCAMS.

    MMS & LOOTERS ARE IN NEED OF TIME TO ERASE/DESTROY RECORDS & TO TRANSFER FUNDS TO SWISS BANK.

    JAI HO BJP.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Radhika, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Arun CK Mangalore Dubai atleast Congress did a good thing by going for JPC but what your BJP party is doing keeping YEDDY in CM CHAIR even after he is implicated in LAND SCAM. Have you any answer ? YEDDY became the CM only to LOOT KARNATAKA. Now let Jaitley, Sushma, Gadkari, Naidu and Rajnath see that YEDDY is out if they have any shame. They were shouting in Loksabha and Rajsabha for 23 days for JPC and did not allow Winter Session to run. Now what they have to say and what action they will take against YEDDY has to be seen in the days to come.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Nithin Poojary, Mangalore/UK

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    This shows Prime Minister is clean, BJP dosent have the right to be in oppostion also, If BJP High command has little concern about corruption then let them take action against Yeddy, Reddy, Ashok etc etc.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Shiva, Kadri Temple, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Dear JPC, when ur conducting inquiry in Karnataka.
    1. CM and sons ac.
    2. reddys ac
    3. Swamy niyananda
    4. Alcohol minister renukacharya sex case
    dear advani kindly request for jpc for above.

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  • Satish Kumar, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Good move from BJP & other opposition parties, If JPC will be successful then we should appreciate these movement than CBI enquiry. Then this will good for people of INDIA, and this should apply for all the parties in future and they should scare to do any type of corruption.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Vazir, Bangalore

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    At least UPA had the decency to accept the demand for JPC probe. What about BJP? Gadkari, Sushma, Arun Jaitely & Advani shamelessly supported Yeddy after he refused to step down when asked to. If he Yeddy does not care about the so called BJP high command, how would he respect the wishes of others. These BJP guys have no right to talk about a decent and clean politician like Manmohan Singh

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, M'LORE\BAHRAIN

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    The govt deserves appreciation,
    but it should have been setup
    earlier i.e. in winter session
    of the parliament itself, so
    that valuable time and money
    may have been avoided to go
    into waste.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, M'LORE\BAHRAIN

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    The govt deserves appreciation,
    but it should have been setup
    earlier i.e. in winter session
    of the parliament itself, so
    that valuable time and money
    may have been avoided to go
    into waste.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Arun CK, Mangalore Dubai

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Its simple that the congress bought so much time to clean and hide the facts and witness. Now a tuned becnh will start the probe and give a pre fabricated report and a clean chit to Raja & UPA, just like how somashekara did. When it comes to Scams all's well and right not matter whihc party in ruling. Its just the platform what they choose. BJP chooses land and since congress has done it long back and they have advanced much advance in technology so they choose Spectrum. BJP still has to learn the acts of cover it or quit.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • William Gonsalves, Madanthyar/Doha, Qatar

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    JPC will be represented by all parties. Since BJP & Congresss both involved in this scam, truth will not come out as done by Somashekar Judicial Commission or ommission.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Louis D'Souza, Udupi/Kuwait

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    There was no need of JPC, but BJP is spoiling the parliament with this excuse, P.M. has taken right step to shut the mouth of opposition members, so that they may not waste budget session. P.M. is not afraid of JPC MMS is most clean P.M. we ever had. Sonia has made him P.M. because of his clean image. BJP too is involved in 2GSpectrum case, now all the truth will come out, how much Raja has made.

    How much BJP has done during their tenure? But BJP high command doesn’t have guts to speak about Yeddyurppa scandals. Sonia Gandhi has a clean image so immediately taking action against corrupt ministers. But Nitin Gadkari is robber he cannot pin point mistakes of others. That’s the difference between corrupt BJP n Congress.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • DON DUBAI, DUBAI

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Congress was under pressure from DMK to give JPC in Winter Session. Now DMK can't pressurise coz of budjet sesion.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Laxmi, Mumbai

    Wed, Feb 23 2011

    To be frank Dr.Manmohan Singh is a very quiet and sobre person. There may be lot of BLACK SHEEP in his Government who is spoiling his image.PM should be very careful in dealing with such people and see that such things do not get repeated. In a Coalation Government such things  are  bound to happen. We wish everything goes on well in future.

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  • prakash, Bhatkal

    Wed, Feb 23 2011

    Cong has taken the step. Whereas whats happening in Karnataka for landscam? isnt it shame to CM? LK Advani has any rights to ask such probes?  I wonder !

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • krishnamoorthy, mangalore

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Corruption by one thief to be investigated by another group of robbers namely 'honourable' members of paliament is called JPC.Take it from me, nothing will happen.In this system of politics the buzz word is you rub my back I rub your back.
    When the whole world is rebelling to change from Autocracy and dictator ship to democracy,we must unite together to change from this Psuedo democracy to real democracy where the ruling party is blemishless and the opposition is equally blemishless.Congress and the BJP,both have let own the people of India and the people have now no alternative left.Sometimes we feel that an efficient and patriotic dictator will be a better option than this bunch of stooges who are occupying the parliament and wasting our tax money.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Omkara Nayak, Bailur/Dubai

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    It is Politics after all.....

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Joseph D' Souza, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    The PM has taken a right step, though under pressure. It is true that he could have done it earlier. but the blame should not be merely on the PM. It is the duty of every elected representative to allow a debate in the parliament. Without the debate no decision in a parliamentary democracy. So holding the Parliament by the for an entire session amounts not just the loss of Tax payers money but hijacking of Democratic procedure. Now for a few days the Opposition will claim victory, but when the truth comes out, both ruling party and the Opposition will burry their differences to hide their mistakes. And the truth will never come out of JPC but by the enquiry conducted by the CBI which is guided and overseen by the Apex Court. JPC is formed from among the peoples representatives who have lost credibility of being impartial. As a nation, lets hope that the truth will prevail and the guilty be brought to books. Lets not try to score political points over this development.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • flavian dsouza, chikmagalir/banaglore

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Absolute waste of time. CBI is investigating and we should let CBI do its job.why JPC ?? what does it achieve ??

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • STALIN MISQUITH, BAHRAIN

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    It is mockery of the democracy that we have to live with criminals. These are in all parties. Parties are run on money donated by criminals, tax evaders or so on to get the benefits in return.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Vishal, Mangalore/Bahrain

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Congress has tried its best to keep the scams under carpet. Unfortunately for them, it failed.

    What more scams are hidden that God only knows.

    Had media not put the pressure, Sonia would have certainly brush aside all allegations and project herself as most clean person in Indian politics.

    Now let us wait for the outcome.

    We want the wave of change as it is happening in Arab countries now.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • JRAO,

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    Realising the quantum of Scam the Govt. could have taken the decision earlier by allowing the Parliament to run smoothly. The delay in the decision tantamount to destroying the vital evidence. Now it is duty of the Govt. to speed up the process without further delay.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Nagesh, Mumbai

    Tue, Feb 22 2011

    PM announced JPC at last. I don't understand why this was not done earlier. There would have not been any problem and Winter Session would have not been lost. Some times the Government acts foolish as the Opposition does. I hope the Government learnt a lesson and see that such things does not repeat in future.

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Title: New Delhi: Under Pressure, PM Announces JPC into 2G Scam



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