Dec. 13: The Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, on Monday said the government has nothing to hide or fear on the 2G spectrum allocation issue and firmly rejects the Opposition’s demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe the scam.
Addressing a general body meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) on the last day of the Winter Session of Parliament, she told the Opposition, “We cannot sacrifice institutions at the altar of political expediency.”
“It is abundantly clear that the government is determined to get to the root of the matter. It is preposterous to suggest that the government has something to hide or it is shying away from investigation. Let me reiterate in the clearest terms: Our government has nothing to hide, our government has nothing to fear. Our concerns are that we should not undermine the established institutions such as the PAC and the CBI, Nor should we do anything that will denigrate the institution of the Prime Minister. We cannot sacrifice institutions at the altar of political expediency,” she said.
Mrs Gandhi sought to justify the decision not to accept the JPC, saying, “We should ask ourselves what is the issue here?”
She said, “Within two days of the submission of the (CAG) report and even before it was placed in Parliament, the minister concerned (A. Raja) resigned. Once the report was in Parliament, in accordance with the rules, it stood automatically referred to the Public Accounts Committee .... which has already started its work.”
She said the problem was being addressed in several ways. “First, there is an examination by the PAC. Second, there is an investigation by the CBI. Third, a retired judge is looking into the administrative and procedural lapses,” she said.
Lauding the Prime Minister’s initiatives on the economic front, Mrs Gandhi said, “In spite of some forces placing formidable obstacles to good governance,” India has weathered the international financial crisis.