Logjam over 2G scam: Congress-allies meet called off

New Delhi: An emergency meeting called by the Congress to discuss the logjam in Parliament with allies got called off a short while before it was to start on Monday night.

The meeting was called after Parliament adjourned for the 17th consecutive day today over the Oppositions demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the 2G scam.

However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal insists that the government is under no pressure at all to call a JPC.

"We are under no pressure from anyone. But then we keep on discussing things. It is a dynamic process. Meetings do take place from time to time," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who has made a strong pitch against JPC, said.(Watch)

Meanwhile, NCP chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, dismissed any talk of split in the UPA on the issue of a JPC to probe the 2G Spectrum scam. (Watch)

After the meeting Sharad Pawar said, "UPA is united, there is no rethink on the stand against JPC."

Asked whether some of the UPA allies hold different views than that of the Congress which is opposed to formation of the JPC, he said "it will be a collective decision."

"I don't think any change is there. Opposition is insisting on JPC. Government thinks Public Accounts Committee is sufficient," he said.(Watch: Public accounts committee questions telecom department)

To a question whether the winter session was being adjourned sine die ahead of its scheduled conclusion on December 13, he said no such decision has been taken.

Earlier on Monday, at the AICC briefing, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi virtually challenged the Opposition to bring a no confidence against the government on the issue.

"If that is so, then there is only 30-second test. Please do not be misled. The proof of the pudding... When the challenge was given (last time), it led to a sheepish dismissal," he said when asked about Opposition claims that the government was in minority with support of 259 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha on the issue.

While CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said after a meeting of 11 non-NDA Opposition parties, "There is nobody who cannot be called. If Bill Clinton could be called by a parliamentary committee and if British Prime Minister could come, what is wrong in inviting our head of the government to explain."

Public Accounts Committee questions Department of Telecommunications

Meanwhile, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has sent to the Telecom Ministry, a list of questions including why views of the law ministry, finance Ministry and even the Prime Minister were ignored when taking decisions during the 2G spectrum allocation.

The PAC, headed by senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, has sent a questionnaire in which it has asked the telecom department to calculate the presumptive loss to the exchequer on account of grant of 157 licences without auctioning the 2G Spectrum.

The committee also seeks an answer to how ineligible companies were given licences and what action is the telecom department contemplating against its offices who allowed this to happen.(Read: 2G spectrum scam-PAC questions DoT)