Despite facing a demand for his removal by 15 Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) members, the committee's Chairman PC Chacko has gone back on his reconciliatory stand that he was ready to amend his draft report if convinced by the members,
Making a U-turn, Chacko on Monday said no change can be made in the draft report and amendments can only be accommodated in the form of dissent notes.
"I am willing for a detailed discussion on each of the ten chapters. The text cannot be changed. The Opposition's amendments can be in the form of dissent notes...let the two (draft and the dissent notes) be presented so that Parliament is aware of the two views," he told reporters outside Parliament House.
Chacko was talking to the media after meeting lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar in the morning. He said following the demand by 15 members of the JPC for his removal, he had met the Speaker to get clarity on whether he can convene the meeting.
On Friday, he had said that the next meeting could take place on May 2 or 3, while Congress MPs in the JPC indicated the meeting is expected to convene on May 6. The tenure of the JPC ends by May 10.
Earlier Chacko had expressed his willingness to consider amendments to controversial aspects of the draft report which has given a clean chit to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
He had said that amendments could be considered if Opposition members could convince him through discussion what was wrong with the report and the need to redraft it, instead of indulging in politics.
Congress managers indicated that the Government is waiting for Mulayam Singh Yadav to change his mind as the SP supremo had said that denying former Telecom Minister A Raja the opportunity to depose before the JPC was a gross injustice.
Within minutes of Mulayam's statement, the JPC meeting scheduled for April 25 was deferred by Chacko, without announcing new dates. If Mulayam sticks to his stand, the strength of those opposing Chacko will go up to 16 in the 30 member JPC.