In an apparent move to ensure that they are not seen in the company of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 10 non-UPA and non-NDA parties on Tuesday came together and demanded a joint parliamentary probe into the 2G scam. Naming it as the biggest-ever scam in independent India, these parties justified their demand on the ground that it is necessary to identify the ways in which the system could be manipulated and suggest reforms to plug all the loopholes. They also demanded a probe into cases of illegal mining and land-grabbing in states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. They virtually sounded a warning to the government that if their demand is not met, they wouldn’t let Parliament function.
The parties that constituted this “third-front” were the TDP, CPI(M), CPI, AIADMK, JD(S), AGP, MDMK, RLD, BJD and the Forward Bloc. The leaders of the non-UPA and non-NDA parties met and conferred for more than an hour before addressing the media. Expressing their disappointment over the government’s refusal to constitute a JPC, the third-front leaders squarely blamed the Congress for the impasse in Parliament. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Chandrababu Naidu said, “This is the biggest scam in independent India. When the JPCs were ordered on smaller scams earlier, why is the government shying away from constituting one this time? Besides, the PAC has limitations and it cannot go into the realm of policy-making.”
When asked specifically about the need for a separate press conference, when the entire nation knew what the demand of the Opposition was, Mr Yechury of the CPI(M) shot back saying, “These are secular opposition parties. And moreover, we are also demanding a probe into cases of illegal mining and land grabbing in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. We want the political leadership of these states to be made accountable.”
In what could be seen as threatening the government, the CPI(M) general secretary said, “We have made our position clear. We want Parliament to function smoothly. If the governemnt agrees to a JPC, then everything will be fine.”