New Delhi, Feb. 6: Hinting that Left parties may agree for a discussion on a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the alleged 2G spectrum scam in the Parliament, the CPI(M) politburo member, Mr Sitaram Yechury, while speaking to a TV channel said, it could be done, provided the government gives a commitment for setting up such a panel.
Mr Yechury said the Left want the JPC to investigate all deals from 1998, when the NDA government came up with a telecom policy, a stand which could lead to the collapse of Opposition’s unity — witnessed during the Winter Session of the Parliament — on the issue.
Asked whether he was speaking on behalf of all the four Left parties, Mr Yechury said he believed so though there was no formal discussion among the four parties. “This is the indication I got from our earlier meetings,” he said.
On whether the Left’s stand would break ranks with Opposition, including the BJP on the issue, he said there were no ranks to be broken. “We are very clear on corruption and our demand for JPC is independent of the BJP. In fact, on record we have said going with the BJP will only compromise our credibility,” he said.
The CPI has said the Opposition demand for a JPC probe was justified and the UPA government should find out a formula to pave the way for setting up the MPs’ panel and end the deadlock in Parliament.
“The onus of running Parliament is on the government. The way CBI’s preliminary investigation has indicted former telecom minister A. Raja and bureaucrats, JPC would be an appropriate agency to look into the spectrum policy, may be since the NDA regime,” the CPI general secretary, Mr A.B. Bardhan, said.
The Union finance minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, has convened a meeting of leaders of political parties on February 8 to “save” the three-month long Budget Session.