CPI(M) insists on JPC, but wants Budget session to be held

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) today stuck to its demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) enquiry into the second generation mobile telephony spectrum scam, but said it did not want the Budget session of Parliament to be stalled on the issue.

"The 2G spectrum issue was discussed. We think that there should be a JPC enquiry and at the same time, we want the Budget session to be held. We will talk to the secular opposition parties and work out a common approach," party general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters at the end of a two-day politburo meeting in Kolkata.

Referring to Union telecom minister Kapil Sibal's statement that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the spectrum scam was faulty and that there had been no loss of revenue for the government, Karat said it indicated that the UPA government wanted to "cover up" the whole affair.

"Why no JPC? The Politburo feels that there is a need for a JPC enquiry into corruption of such magnitude," he said.

Asked to comment on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's offer to appear before the PAC on the issue, he said such a statement was a "political gesture."

"As far as we know, there is no rule that allows the PAC to ask any minister to appear before it. It will be better if the prime minister appears before the JPC," Karat said.