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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while announcing in Parliament the government's decision to set up a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to look into the 2G spectrum allocation scam on Tuesday, recalled that the winter session was lost on account of the controversy over the 2G spectrum allocation. “In paralysing Parliament, I believe, we all do [a] disservice to those who have elected us.”
Insisting that the government was committed to eradicating corruption, the Prime Minister listed the steps taken on the 2G issue which included a CBI investigation supervised by the Supreme Court and an independent enquiry conducted by the former judge Shivraj Patil.
He also pointed out that the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament was also seized of the matter and the government was fully cooperating with it.
“We are a functioning democracy and must strive to resolve our differences in a spirit of accommodation and collaboration, not confrontation,” he said hoping that it would “renew our confidence in India's forward march.”
The government had already made it clear that a formal motion for the creation of the JPC would be moved on Thursday by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal.
This would be the first JPC to be set up since the Congress-led UPA came to power in May 2004.
Soon after the Prime Minister made a similar statement in the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said he was “disappointed” over the contents of the statement.
“The issue could be resolved in a more gracious manner,” he said, adding the content of the PM's statement showed the government had done everything and the JPC was formed only because Parliament was paralysed.
In the Lok Sabha, AIADMK leader M. Thambidurai demanded representation for all political leaders on the JPC to ensure that there was no feeling of neglect among the members.
Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) thanked the Prime Minister for agreeing to the Opposition demand for a JPC.
SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said the delay in announcing formation of the JPC had affected the credibility of the government.
Insisting that the government was committed to eradicating corruption, the Prime Minister listed the steps taken on the 2G issue which included a CBI investigation supervised by the Supreme Court and an independent enquiry conducted by the former judge Shivraj Patil.
He also pointed out that the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament was also seized of the matter and the government was fully cooperating with it.
“We are a functioning democracy and must strive to resolve our differences in a spirit of accommodation and collaboration, not confrontation,” he said hoping that it would “renew our confidence in India's forward march.”
The government had already made it clear that a formal motion for the creation of the JPC would be moved on Thursday by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal.
This would be the first JPC to be set up since the Congress-led UPA came to power in May 2004.
Soon after the Prime Minister made a similar statement in the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said he was “disappointed” over the contents of the statement.
“The issue could be resolved in a more gracious manner,” he said, adding the content of the PM's statement showed the government had done everything and the JPC was formed only because Parliament was paralysed.
In the Lok Sabha, AIADMK leader M. Thambidurai demanded representation for all political leaders on the JPC to ensure that there was no feeling of neglect among the members.
Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) thanked the Prime Minister for agreeing to the Opposition demand for a JPC.
SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said the delay in announcing formation of the JPC had affected the credibility of the government.