Congress steers clear of A Raja's request to Meira Kumar

Congress today steered clear of the issue of former telecom minister A Raja's request to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar for appearing before the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G spectrum as a witness.

"JPC will decide his request. JPC is empowered to accept such kind of requests. It takes its decisions absolutely independently," party spokesperson Rashid Alvi said.

He was responding to a media query on Raja's request to the Lok Sabha Speaker that he be allowed to appear before the JPC to tell his side of story.

Meanwhile, an AIADMK leader, whose party is arch rival of the DMK to which Raja belongs, also steered clear of the issue.

The AIADMK leader, who did not wish to be identified, asked as to why should his party comment when Raja's action signalled a "fight between Congress and DMK". DMK is partner of the Congress-led UPA government.

Raja's action comes days after Attorney General GE Vahanvati blamed him for various issues related to the spectrum scam.

The former telecom minister met Kumar at her office yesterday and handed over a letter expressing his willingness to appear as a witness before the committee.