New Delhi, April 30
The political battle between the UPA and the BJP over the draft PAC report on 2G scam reached Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar’s doorstep today with chairman Murli Manohar Joshi sending it to her through a courier and Congress member KS Rao handing over a letter to the Speaker protesting Joshi’s conduct as the PAC chairman. Today was the last day for this PAC.

Speaking to the media soon after dispatching the copy of the report, Joshi kept dodging a reply to whether his draft was adopted but said he sent his report sharply critical of the PMO, Prime Minister and others, with a covering letter to the Speaker’s office. Joshi also admitted during the course of his interaction that on April 28, 11 members belonging to the Congress, the DMK and one each from the SP and the BSP sought a vote against the adoption of the report, which he rejected.

While insisting that his report was fair, just and fully in accordance with the traditions followed by successive PACs, he left it to the Speaker’s discretion saying, “I have submitted the report... My expectation is that the Speaker should accept it and place it in Parliament.”

Meanwhile, KS Rao claimed to have met Meira Kumar and given her a letter complaining of Joshi’s conduct of the meeting as well as explaining their reasons for rejecting the draft.

Sources said Rao told the Speaker that on April 15, he raised the issue of certain matters being sub judice and therefore were beyond the jurisdiction of the PAC. But instead of accepting his plea, Joshi pressed for a vote after the lunch hour when one member had got delayed due to some personal reasons. He pointed out how Joshi sought a vote when it suited him but rejected when he saw things going against him.

Another member of the committee, Tiruchi Siva, also maintained the same position. Siva told The Tribune, “This report was never adopted and so has no legal or parliamentary sanctity. It is for the Speaker now to take a view.”

Meanwhile, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi repeated word-for-word the charge levelled by the UPA members of the PAC, including Joshi’s refusal to grant Raja the opportunity to appear before the committee.