Opposition raps PM on 2G comments

The Opposition on Wednesday took on Manmohan Singh over his interaction with the media, demanding to know why did the Prime Minister not agree to their demand of a joint parliamentary probe into the 2G spectrum scam earlier.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre now appeared to be softening its stand over the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the spectrum scandal.

“On JPC, also he blamed the opposition. Why they did not agree to JPC earlier and not let the parliament session go waste. He now says he is ready to face any panel,” BJP President Nitin Gadkari said.

?He compared spectrum prices to price of fertilizers, oil prices and food prices, this is a matter to laugh at,? Gadkari added.

The BJP leader said the PM?s interaction was ?disappointing and it exposed his helplessness.?

?Coalition politics cannot be a shield for justifying corruption. Coalition is about 2G, but what about ISRO, Commonwealth Games scam and Adarsh housing?? he asked.

The Left too took on the Prime Minister demanding to know why did the government not agree to the probe resulting in the impasse in the Parliament that wasted the entire winter session.
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said, ?On two vital issues, the 2G scam and price rise, the PM virtually throws up his hand and said nothing much can be done. ?

?On the 2G scam, he tried to justify the scam. He virtually admitted that this govt has been subsidising the corporate sectors by giving away spectrums at throwaway prices,? Yechury added.

Asserting that his government was ?dead serious? to punish all those involved in scams, prime minister Manmohan Singh said he was ready to appear before any committee, including a JPC.

?The government is dead serious to bring to book offenders,? he said.

?I am not afraid of appearing before any committee, including JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee),? the Prime Minister said, seeking to drive home that his government would do everything to deal with corruption.

He said he was not that much of a culprit he has been made out to be and he is not a lame duck PM.