New Delhi, January 16: General Secretary Prakash Karat (R) with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Industry Minister Nirupam Sen and Left Front Chairman at the party’s politburo meeting in Kolkata on Saturday. Photo: PTI
The CPI(M) on Sunday stuck to its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee enquiry into the 2G spectrum scam, but said it did not want the Budget Session of Parliament to be stalled on the issue.
“The 2G Spectrum issue was discussed. We think that there should be a JPC enquiry and at the same time, we want the Budget Session to be held. We will talk to the secular opposition parties and work out a common approach,” party general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters at the end of a two-day politburo meeting here.
Referring to Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal’s statement that the CAG report on the spectrum scam was faulty and that there had been no loss of revenue for the government, Mr. Karat said it indicated that the UPA government wanted to “cover up” the whole affair.
“Why no JPC? The Politburo feels that there is a need for a JPC enquiry into corruption of such magnitude,” he said.
Asked to comment on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s offer to appear before the PAC on the issue, he said such a statement was a “political gesture.”
“As far as we know, there is no rule that allows the PAC to ask any minister to appear before it. It will be better if the Prime Minister appears before the JPC,” Mr. Karat said.
Asked to comment on the BJP’s proposed programme to raise the national flag at Lalchowk on Republic Day, Mr. Karat said that the party’s understanding of the problems in Jammu and Kashmir would only “aggravate” the situation there.
“After five months, efforts are being made to engage people from all sections of society. At this time, the way the BJP is going to hoist the national flag will only create more problems,” he said.
About the ongoing rectification within the CPI(M), Karat said it was being carried on at the district level now.
The matter would be taken up at the party’s Central Committee meeting in March, he said.
–Agencies