Idea is to accommodate AIADMK, smaller parties
In a bid to accommodate the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and smaller parties, the United Progressive Alliance government on Wednesday agreed to expand the Joint Parliamentary Committee, being set up to examine the 2G spectrum scam, to accommodate 30 members. “We've decided to have a 30-member panel to accommodate smaller parties,” government sources said.
With representation of parties depending on their strength in Parliament, the AIADMK would have been excluded had the government stuck to its original plan of having a 21-member JPC. The government's concession was prompted by its concern that parties not represented in the JPC should not further embarrass it in Parliament.
In this context, Congress functionaries had over the last few weeks repeatedly mentioned the AIADMK: with the DMK leader and former Telecom Minister, A. Raja's alleged involvement in the 2G spectrum scam a major talking point for the AIADMK in the run-up to the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Congress wanted to minimise collateral damage as it is going to the polls in alliance with the DMK.
However, the government's concession came after Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and National Democratic Alliance working chairperson L.K. Advani conveyed to it the AIADMK's request to be accommodated in the JPC. Earlier in the day, AIADMK MP M. Thambi Durai met the two BJP leaders to request them to take up the party's case for a 30-member JPC. While 20 JPC members will be drawn from the Lok Sabha, the other 10 will be from the Rajya Sabha. The Congress is likely to have eight members from the Lok Sabha and three from the Rajya Sabha. The BJP's representation should be six — four from the Lower House and two from the Upper House. The BJP, it is learnt, has decided to accommodate the Shiv Sena in its quota. It is also toying with the idea of giving the Shiromani Akali Dal one place, but no decision has yet been taken on that. Though the BJP list is not ready, party sources said, Deputy Leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha S.S. Ahluwalia is likely to be a member.
The JPC chairperson will be from the Congress. Party sources say P.C. Chacko from Kerala has been sounded out for the job. However, government sources said a shortlist had been sent to the party leadership, so nothing was certain yet.
Of the other parties, the DMK, which is in the eye of the 2G storm, will get two members, and its principal rival, the AIADMK, one. The Bahujan Samaj Party, the Janata Dal (United) and the Left parties will have two each; the Samajwadi Party and the Biju Janata Dal, and the Congress' allies, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Trinamool Congress, one each.
The motion for the constitution of the JPC would be moved under Rule 184 by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal at 2 p.m. in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, and a four-hour discussion on the issue would follow, government sources said, adding the motion would then be adopted by voice vote. While these sources, quoting a precedent, said the government would like the JPC to finish its work by the last day of the monsoon session, the Opposition is pushing for its completion “within a reasonable time.”
Keywords: JPC probe, 2G spectrum scam
JPC must recommend- The removal of hazardous R.S. Telecom towers installed in densely populated residential areas injurious to the financial and physical health of the society as a social welfare state.Mass killing and mass damages need not be awaited as DOT/TRAI anticipates in my case where Airtel have been operating their tower through encroachment of my land in distt-Hathras,UP as their permanent right of way to the tower for their business earnings even without my consent and any financial benefit to me.They dont bother for cancer caused tO me by exposure to radiation emitted by the tower.The licensor and licensees both be held liable for culpable crime caused by the licensees in delivery/negligence of their services under the law of the nation.
27/02/2011 EMrdayal01140@gmail.com
Nothing going to be happen by these committee only eye wash.Already 'big fish' and 'crocodiles' have escaped after 40days inquiry by the C.B.I. Our people will forget.
If we talk about the JPC, the government should not waste time and public funds if there is no implementation, rather they should have lessons from Egypt and other countries so that they start working for common man not for themselves.
JPC...What can this JPC do? What was the fate of former JPCs reports? In India Judicial Commissions, JPCs and the other committees are for only to feed some retired judges or to waste public wealth. Not even a single recommendations from these commissions have come in to practice till date. We know the fate of Sree Krishna commission report. The ultimate result of this commission is the total loss of some more thousands of money with the already lost one lack crore rupees from treasury. Regardless the political parties, Indian politics and parliament is a group of robbers, looting public property. Indian politicians should open their eyes and keep seeing the waves of uprisings against corruption in the rest of world like Egypt, Tunisia...And remember there is an ultimate limit for the patience of the society...it must be a sudden.. a small spark can distroy all your greedy dreams..beware of that day
Why 30 members in JPC ? An even number of members in any committee will have problems. A dead-lock at 15-15 for any decision or ruling will delay the outcome forever. The other point is. Why include DMK at all? No party from TN should be included. The congress party at the center is always giving in to the demands of the coalition members and also to the opposition. This JPC will be like the courts of India which take years to make a judgement.
Even though it is a joint parliamentary committee that is being setup, it would not hurt to include a few members from the general public. Having said that, I would not be interested in seeing the selection for the general public made from the ranks and files of stooges and cronies of the Congress, DMK and the UPA allies. It should also exclude filmstars and others who curry favors to the politicians for their own personal gains and upliftment. Folks such as Amitabh, Azharuddin, Chandrashekar (from Devas) and others should be excluded. It has to be from a pool of eminent, scholarly and commonner people drawn from North to South, East to West based on a lottery system.
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