Parliament stand-off: Pranab's meeting ends without compromise

New Delhi: Another all-party meeting to try and break the deadlock in Parliament over the 2G Spectrum issue has come to naught. The Opposition will settle for nothing less than a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe and the government has once again ruled it out.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had called today's meeting to find a solution to the Parliament impasse. The Opposition parties have not allowed Parliament to function since the Winter Session began over two weeks ago, over their demand for a JPC inquiry.

At the meeting today, Pranab Mukherjee suggested that multi-disciplinary investigating agencies assist the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to look into the 2G Spectrum scam.

"We can offer a multidisciplinary investigating agency consisting of officers of various branches to help the PAC to investigate in the matter, and thereafter the PAC can look into the matter," said Pranab. (Read: Pranab to meet Opposition again)

But the Opposition parties rejected the PAC offer. Speaking after the meeting, BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said, "Government offered to attach a multiple disciplinary agency to PAC but we are not ready for this." She reiterated that "nothing short of JPC" was acceptable.

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Earlier on Monday, Swaraj had said her party would not compromise on the need for a JPC. (Watch: Want action, not debate on 2G scam says BJP)

CPI expressed the same sentiments as Swaraj. "We are not ready for anything nothing short of a JPC," said Gurudas Dasgupta, Leader, CPI.

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Both Houses of Parliament were again adjourned till tomorrow within minutes of opening this morning. (Read: Deadlock to cut Parliament session short?)

The 2G scam cost A Raja his job as Telecom Minister after a report by the government's auditor indicted him for costing the country close to Rs. 1.76 lakh crore by distributing licences for 2G spectrum at throwaway prices in 2008 to companies he favoured.

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The government believes that a JPC is not needed because the auditor's report will be scrutinized by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is headed by Murli Manohar Joshi of the BJP. The fact that the Opposition heads this panel, the government says, means that this scrutiny will be impartial. (Read: Allow Parliament to function, PM tells Opposition)

But the Left and the BJP say that the matter is serious enough to require a JPC , which includes members of the Opposition and has the power to summon bureaucrats and others for questioning.

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The Opposition wants a JPC to handle the trio of scams that have in the last few months caused a political tornado. The Adarsh Society scam saw politicians and bureaucrats colluding with defence officers to corner flats in Mumbai meant for war widows and veterans. The Commonwealth Games scam centres on the naked corruption that saw, among others, the men in charge of organizing the Games allegedly constructing deals and payments to favour family and friends. The 2G scam is  being handled by the CBI and  led last week to the Prime Minister being criticized by the Supreme Court for "silence and alleged inaction" against former Telecom Minister A Raja.