New Delhi:
As Parliament continued to be paralysed for the tenth consecutive working day, government today firmly ruled out JPC probe into 2G scam and dared the Opposition to move 'No-Confidence Motion' if it was not satisfied with its offer of PAC examining the matter.
The government also ruled out truncating the Winter Session as Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said efforts are being made to end the impasse although he did not know how it can be done.
At a meeting of leaders of political parties with Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari this morning, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal asserted that government would not agree to JPC and the Opposition would have to settle for examination of CAG report on 2G spectrum allocation by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, sources said.
BJP leader S S Ahluwalia argued that PAC could not summon a minister and it could be done only by a JPC. At this, Bansal said if the Opposition had no faith in the government and PAC examining the 2G issue, it could move a 'No-Confidence Motion', they said.
Later speaking to reporters, Bansal said the government had firmly rejected the demand for JPC and told the Opposition that if their only objective was to summon the Prime Minister and some ministers, that was not acceptable.
"Today I told the Opposition that if that is your objective (summoning the PM and ministers) that is not acceptable. If you have the courage and conviction, come and discuss the issue in the House," he said.
Asked what the government would do if Opposition moves a no-confidence motion, Bansal said "if such a thing happens, we cannot stop it. But the Opposition will get a beating. The government is in power till it has majority.
People will also understand that it is the opposition that is not allowing the House to function."
Mukherjee, after a meeting with CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on the deadlock, told reporters that efforts are being made to end the impasse.
"We have not yet been able to find a solution. I do not know how to resolve this impasse. We are trying. Let us see," Mukherjee, who is also Leader of the Lok Sabha, said.
During the meeting, Yechury asked Mukherjee why the government was refusing to set up JPC and pointed out that the Congress too had forced repeated adjournments of Parliament in the wake of the Tehelka expose during the NDA rule.
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, meanwhile, appealed to all parties to end the stalemate.
"It is my earnest appeal to end the impasse and allow the Houses to function and discuss the issues in Parliament," Kumar said when her views were sought on the deadlock.
Like the previous days, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha could not transact any substantive business because of pandemonium created by Opposition parties to press their demand for JPC.
Members of parties like Samajwadi Party, BJP, Shiv Sena, AIADMK and TDP trooped into the Well of both the Houses and vociferously demanded JPC probe.
Congress members hit back by showing placards and demanding action against Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and BJD government of Orissa over Vedanta mining project.
Bansal ruled out an early end to the Winter Session of Parliament asserting that the government was in favour of functioning of both the Houses till December 13 as planned originally.
"The government will make efforts till December 13 to ensure that the House runs," he told reporters.
Bansal said during NDA rule, the then government did not accept demand for JPC into Tehelka expose and coffin scam.
"Vajpayee-ji (then Prime Minister A B Vajpayee) had said the issue can be discussed in the House and there was no JPC."