The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Tuesday announced that the Government has agreed to set up a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe into the alleged abuse in the allocation of 2G spectrum, thereby bringing to an end the impasse that paralysed Parliament functioning during the winter session.

Stating that a formal motion in this regard would soon be moved, Dr Singh today requested the Lok Sabha Speaker, Ms Meira Kumar, to proceed with the formation of a JPC. This is the first JPC to be set up since the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power in May 2004.

“We can ill-afford a situation where Parliament is not allowed to function during the crucial Budget session. It is in these special circumstances that our Government agrees to the setting up of a JPC,” Dr Singh told the Lok Sabha as soon as it met for the first working day of the Budget session.

Recalling that the winter session was lost on account of the controversy relating to the allocation of 2G spectrum, Dr Singh noted that in paralysing Parliament “we all do disservice to those who have elected us”. Dr Singh outlined the efforts that were being taken to look into the 2G spectrum matter. He highlighted that a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the allocation of 2G spectrum is being supervised by the Supreme Court. Also, the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament is seized of the matter and the Government is fully co-operating with it, he said.

The Government also now had the report of the independent inquiry committee set up under the Chairmanship of Mr Justice Shivraj Patil. The report is in the public domain. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has also acted with expedition, Dr Singh said.

The Prime Minister said that the UPA Government is committed to root out corruption and has acted expeditiously and transparently in this direction. “Our Government believed that as all effective steps were being taken, we might have been able to persuade the Opposition not to insist on a JPC. We could not succeed in spite of our sincere efforts,” he added.

While pointing out that India was a functional democracy, Dr Singh stressed the need to resolve differences in a “spirit of accommodation and collaboration not confrontation”.

Ms Sushma Swaraj, leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, hailed the Government's decision to set up a JPC to look into the 2G spectrum allocation, stating that the Members of Parliament should not be getting into the question of who has won or who has lost, but see the announcement as a victory of democracy.

krsrivats@thehindu.co.in

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