Joshi has written a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar seeking advice on how to proceed against Sibal as his remark raises questions related to parliamentary propriety.
After the Supreme Court (SC), telecom minister Kapil Sibal’s “zero loss” observation on comptroller and auditor general’s (CAG’s) 2G spectrum scam report has come under the MM Joshi-headed public accounts committee’s (PAC’s) scanner.
The report, which says the 2G scam could add up to Rs1.76 lakh crore, prompted A Raja’s exit as telecom minister and Sibal’s takeover. It was placed in parliament recently.
Joshi has written a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar seeking advice on how to proceed against Sibal as his remark raises questions related to parliamentary propriety.
He has reminded Kumar that as speaker, she is the only authority PAC can approach to seek clarification from the minister.
Joshi, a senior BJP leader, said writing the letter was PAC’s collective decision, refusing to be drawn into a controversy whether some Congress MPs had opposed the idea.
PAC has called the speaker’s attention to three issues. It has sought to know whether a minister, particularly one leading a ministry to which the CAG inquiry pertained, can cast aspersions on the report. That too after it was tabled in parliament.
It has further sought to know whether it is necessary for CAG to accept whatever the ministry says or is CAG expected to make considered observations based on material shown to him.
Thirdly, PAC has asked the speaker whether the minister has expressed such views of far-reaching implications and consequences with the prime minister’s knowledge.
Joshi said if the answers to these questions were in the affirmative, all inquiries ordered by SC or CBI and examination by PAC became redundant.
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