Amid reports that BJP could end its boycott of the JPC probing the 2G spectrum allocation scam, the panel chief P.C. Chacko on Saturday said the Opposition party “owes an explanation” to people as to why they went out of the panel and why are they want to come back.
“I am very happy. I have been telling, requesting and inviting them (BJP members) to come to the meeting (of the Parliamentary Committee). I have been telling that their abstaining from the meeting will reflect that they are not taking the Committee seriously. Very important witnesses are to be examined. I am happy if good sense prevails,” Mr Chacko told reporters.
He was responding to questions on a newspaper report that BJP is likely to attend the next meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee probing the 2G scam on November 8, ending its boycott of the panel to once again press for inclusion of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister P. Chidambaram as witnesses.
The report had it that the BJP members will review their strategy of staying away from committee proceedings after assessing the response of Mr Chacko who has so far been stonewalling their demand. Mr Chacko has not discussed a witness list with the Committee yet.
Mr Chacko maintained he always believed that the Committee needed to work collectively and the discussions should take place very transparently.
“I had told them you had to cooperate. Parliament has put great faith in us. For their (BJP’s) own reason, they absented. They had said they had no faith in the Committee Chairman. For me, it is a happy news if all of a sudden they have found faith in the Chairman,” Mr Chacko said.