The Congress on Friday said it is open to the idea of discussing a resolution in Parliament on the issue of constituting a JPC to probe into alleged 2G scam. Remarks in this regard made by AICC spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan at the party briefing assume significance as the BJP and Left parties have remained adamant on the issue of JPC in spite of arrest of former telecom minister A. Raja by CBI in connection with the scam.
Facing a volley of questions, the Congress spokesperson said that the idea did not mean the party has softened its stand on the issue of JPC and said it was still opposed to the setting up of such a committee.
“There is no step forward. Our position is the same,” Ms Natarajan said, adding that in view of the complete washout of the winter session of Parliament and the deadlock continuing, “We would like to call upon all parties to come forward and cooperate and ensure that some way is found out to end the deadlock”.
She denied that the Congress itself was making a suggestion saying that such an idea was “already in the public domain and we are not pulling it out of thin air”. The Congress statement came even as BJP insisted that only a JPC probe could bring out the truth.
She also informed that the issue pertaining to a discussion on the resolution would be discussed at the meeting of all opposition leaders convened by Mr Mukherjee.
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Mamata to skip Feb. 8 meeting
AGE CORRESPONDENT
Kolkata
Feb. 4: Railway minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee would not be attending the all-party meeting which the Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has convened in New Delhi on February 8 to seek ways to break the deadlock on the 2G Spectrum scam controversy and ensure the smooth functioning of the Budget Session of Parliament.
Mr Mukherjee made this announcement on Friday night after a meeting with Ms Banerjee at his residence.