Pranab Mukherjee wants apology from Opposition for Parliament deadlock

NEW DELHI - Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday demanded an apology from the Opposition, accusing it of destroying Parliament after they rejected his offer of a special session to discuss the Joint Parliamentary Probe (JPC) issue on 2G scam.

“In the entire Winter Session, they (Opposition) did not allow any opportunity for any discussion on any issue…. They have destroyed the institution. They should apologise to the nation,” Mukherjee told reporters here.

His reaction came after the Opposition rejected the offer he made last night in a fresh bid to break the deadlock in Parliament that resulted in the washout of the entire Winter Session.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nitin Gadkari said that there would no compromise on the opposition’s demand for a JPC probes into the scam.

“It is the duty of the Opposition party to take the issue of national interest. The CAG report conveys that it’s a Rs 1.76 lakh of the scam. Is it not important that we need Parliamentary Committee on that?,” he added

BJP spokesperson Nirmala Seetharaman said: “There is no need for a debate on JPC. Very clearly every party in the opposition and some even those who are UPA’s partners have said JPC is required.”

The winter session was stalled by the government’s intransigence. The Government was adamant in spite of majority of people in the parliament asking for a JPC they just did not even consider it,” she added.

Meanwhile, CPI leader D Raja said: “I do not find anything new in what Pranab Mukherjee has said yesterday. That proposal at that time was not accepted, that is why the demand for JPC emerged.”

“We will not accept the offer. We can’t support. Let the JPC be constituted first. Afterwards we can have a special session before commencing the budget session,” said CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharia.

Mukherjee made the offer after the BJP said they would cooperate in the budget session if the government agrees to a JPC.

Former Telecom Minister A. Raja was forced to resign last month under considerable pressure from the Congress, which continues to be attacked in Parliament by the Opposition on corruption charges.

The 2G-spectrum allocation has reportedly caused an alleged loss of Rs1.76 lakh crores to the Government, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has stated in a report. (ANI)