As the Government desperately looked for a way out to end the logjam in Parliament over the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report, the committee’s Chairman PC Chacko dropped a hint that he could be ready to amend his report.
Chacko said this after he met lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to discuss ways to resolve the standoff with the Opposition parties. The JPC is expected to convene on May 2 or 3. The committee’s term ends on May 10.
After meeting Kumar, Chacko told reporters that those who wanted amendments should “convince the committee on the need to redraft the report.”
“The aim should not be to reject the report. They should say we want to amend the report. They should convince the committee on the need to redraft the report...I am open to being convinced. But convincing comes subsequently. First, they should be ready for a discussion,” said Chacko.
As many as 15 members of the 30-member panel have accused Chacko of being partisan and demanded his removal. The Opposition has criticised the draft report for giving a clean chit to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram and not summoning former Telecom Minister A Raja to depose before the committee.
The Government also swung into action to end the impasse. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath held talks with veteran BJP leader lK Advani and others and is likely to consult Sushma Swaraj on Monday in this regard.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, also a member of the JPC, circulated a questionnaire among committee members and sought answers from the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister.
Yechury circulated a letter among JPC members pointing out specific discrepancies between Raja’s submission and Chacko’s clean chit to Manmohan Singh.
Yechury said a conclusive report of the JPC cannot be prepared unless these questions were answered by the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister.
Comparing the draft report’s findings and Raja’s claims, Yechury has posed as many as 18 questions to the PM and FM.
The CPI(M) leader asked them to respond to Raja’s claims that he got consent and clearance from both on allocation of controversial telecom licenses.
Raja had alleged that he had done everything in consultation with the duo.
Suggesting that responses from the PM and FM may be accepted in oral or written, Yechury said both should answer what transpired in their meetings with Raja. He also asked Manmohan to clarify Raja’s claim that he met the PM in the first week of January 2008 - a few days before the execution of the 2G scam on January 10.
“The Prime Minister should also answer why he went back on his earlier stand of conducting 2G auctions, said Yechury.
The CPI(M) leader asked Chidambaram, if he had any difference of opinion with Raja on the allotment of licenses.
Yechury also asked the Finance Minister that, if he had any difference with Raja, why did he not take the matter up to the Cabinet.