Centre rules out JPC, Pranab to make peace
New Delhi, Nov. 15: The corruption issue refuses to die down even after the resignation of the telecom minister, Mr A. Raja, on the 2G spectrum allocation issue.
While the Opposition increased pressure on the Centre for a joint parliamentary committee probe, the government rejected it outright.
The issue rocked proceedings in both Houses of Parliament on Monday.
Parliament is unlikely to work on Tuesday as the Opposition is determined in its insistence on a JPC probe with the calculation that it could expose the UPA, but the government is keen on a discussion under any rule.
The Opposition, which is claiming the credit for the removal of Mr Ashok Chavan as Maharashtra CM, Mr Suresh Kalmadi as CPP secretary, and now Mr Raja, feels the Centre and the Congress high command acted only under its pressure. Its main target is the Prime Minister and the Congress leadership.
The government decided to hold a meeting with leaders of all parties on Tuesday to end the deadlock.
The Leader of the Lok Sabha and finance minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, has invited over two dozen leaders of parties, including the BJP and the Left, for a lunch meeting to end the stalemate.
Sources said leaders of all major parties have been invited to the meeting, during which the government will appeal to them to allow Parliament to function as both Houses have not been able to transact any business in more than a week since the Winter Session commenced.
The government is daring the Opposition to corner it if it can with the help of rules and procedures inside Parliament, asking why it has been shying away from a debate under any rule.
Constituting JPCs has been proved a futile exercise. Since 1981, none of the four JPCs constituted could serve the purpose for which they were constituted, a Union minister said.
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