The main Opposition BJP on Friday questioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his “complete silence” over the ongoing impasse over formation of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into 2G spectrum allocation.
The party alleged that the government is willing to set up any probe except a joint parliamentary committee as it fears the wider scope of this parliamentary committee.
Speaking on the issue, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said “on crucial domestic issues, the PM shouldn’t be seen losing his will to rule.”
Responding to a question on the visit of the Prime Minister to Belgium and Germany during the ongoing Winter Session, Mr Jaitley said: “It’s not merely going abroad. Besides this entire impasse, there are two-three other factors which are visible after this stalemate. The most visible factors have been the complete absence and silence of the Prime Minister on the issue of major stalemate and crisis which this country is facing.”
The senior BJP leader said in a democracy, the Prime Minister occupies a premier position and he “can’t be absent from a national debate in or out of Parliament, particularly when the whole country is extremely interested in knowing the real truth.”
Maintaining that Prime Ministers do have to go abroad even during sessions, Mr Jaitley said such tours, however, should be avoided as far as possible when Parliament was in session.
To a question on the logjam in Parliament, Mr Jaitley said his party does not like the stalemate.
“But the stalemate has resulted in the resignation of the minister (A. Raja) and the CBI raids... Whether the raids are an eyewash remains to be seen,” the senior BJP leader said.