2G scam: No consensus in all-party meeting

The stand-off between the Opposition and the Government over the 2G scam investigations refused to show signs of weakness as the all-part meeting called by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee failed to come up with a consensus.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other Opposition leaders have yet again contradicted the government?s stand that an investigation by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), headed by BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, was enough to investigate the matter.

The Opposition parties have stalled business in the House for the past two weeks to press for setting up of a JPC to investigate the telecom scam, that led the Supreme Court to ask for a reply from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as to why did he take 11 months to give nod to a criminal proceeding against the “tainted” Telecom Minsiter A Raja.

The episode began after a report by the government?s auditor found the former Telecom Minister ?personally responsible? for costing the national exchequer a loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore through ?illogical? sale of 2G telecom spectrum in 2008.