An outraged Congress has objected to the leaking of an amended version of the Public Accounts Committee's draft report on the 2G spectrum allocation scam, even before its members have had time to consider the changes made after its chairman Murli Manohar Joshi sought legal opinion on the last report, which was rejected by the PAC.
This sets the stage for a fresh round of hostilities between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The report, informed sources said, was leaked shortly after Dr. Joshi circulated the new version among the PAC members on Saturday, so that they could read it before the committee's next meeting, at which he will make a fresh attempt at getting it adopted by the new committee.
The sources said the new report had diluted references critical of the Prime Minister's Office, while sharpening the remarks on Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram.
Congress member Sanjay Nirupam, who was a member of the earlier PAC too, told The Hindu that Dr. Joshi should resign from the chairmanship for “having leaked the report” and his “failure to maintain the dignity of the office he holds.”
Mr. Nirupam alleged that since Dr. Joshi had not succeeded in getting his last report adopted by the PAC, he was once again trying to create public opinion for it by leaking it and “to keep himself relevant.”
After the last PAC report was rejected by the members, Dr. Joshi sent it to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. She returned it, saying she could not accept it as it had not been adopted by the PAC. Dr. Joshi then brought it up at a meeting of the new PAC, Mr. Nirupam said, and it was agreed that he would seek the opinion of constitutional and legal experts, and then discuss their views with the members.
But regardless of the Congress' objections, the fact that Dr. Joshi is pursuing the report spells more trouble for the ruling party. For when the amended report is reconsidered by the PAC — whenever the next meeting is scheduled — the ruling party will once again have to muster the numbers to reject the report again.
In the reconstituted PAC, the role of the BSP, which has two members, instead of one, will be crucial.
