|
|
2G SPECTRUM SCAM New Delhi, December 22 "If they (the Opposition) assure that there will be a debate, I am ready to call a special session of Parliament before the Budget session so that this issue (setting up of a JPC) is debated," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said at the CNN-IBN award function. He said the Opposition should discuss the issue on the floor of Parliament and "not destroy the institution itself". Mukherjee was responding when asked to comment on a remark by BJP president Nitin Gadkari that his party was ready to cooperate with the government in the Budget session but only on the condition that the ruling alliance appoints a JPC. The government's offer is believed to be aimed at ending the stand-off with the Opposition over the JPC issue so that the Budget session does not go same way as the Winter session of Parliament, which was completely washed out. The government has maintained that JPC was not necessary to look into the 2G Spectrum allocation and the task could be performed by the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has even offered to appear before the PAC. However, the opposition has been adamant on JPC probe, arguing that PAC had a limited mandate and could not probe aspects beyond auditing. — PTI
Meet our demand or quit, BJP tells PM New Delhi, December 22 They were addressing thousands of BJP workers who had assembled at the Ramlila Maidan for the ‘Mahasangram rally’. Declaring that the agitation would continue till the start of the Budget Session and spread across the country, Advani mentioned 10 places, including Guwahati, Mumbai, Chennai, Kanpur and Rohtak, where rallies would be held. The dates for these places have been Recalling how he had been ridiculed even by his party colleagues for terming Manmohan Singh a weak Prime Minister, Advani said: “The office of Prime Minister is, however, not weak. Pradhan Mantriji, you have the authority to order a JPC. Please say that if I can appear before a PAC, I can appear before a JPC.” Earlier, Jaitley said: “The PM should face JPC or quit.” He also claimed that corporates and lobbyists were making major policy decisions in the government. Jaitley’s colleague, Sushma Swaraj seconded him. “People say the PM is clean but how can you escape the responsibility if you are allowing corruption right under your nose, “ recalling how the Prime Minister overruled her dissenting note to appoint a corrupt CVC. She said the government should mention why the Congress is against a JPC. She further said that if the Prime Minister did not give a suitable answer, it proved he had something to hide and did want to face members of Parliament.
CBI may question Raja tomorrow
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
New Delhi: Former Telecom Minister A Raja is likely to be questioned by the CBI on December 24. Raja arrived in the Capital on Wednesday and said he would cooperate with the investigative agency. It means that he would be turning up before CBI officials to answer questions in connection with the scam, which, the CAG had said, cost the exchequer Rs 1.76 lakh crore. — TNS