BJP: No compromise on JPC demand

New Delhi: Rejecting the Government appeal, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), on Sunday, ruled any compromise on demand for JPC probe in the 2G spectrum issue and accused it of trying to shield the corrupt.

The main Opposition also sought to put the onus of smooth functioning of Parliament on the government saying that the proceedings of the House can begin from Monday if their demand for a JPC was accepted.

"Why is the Congress afraid of a JPC? Does the Congress-led government fear that its secrets will come out in the open in such a probe? There will be no compromise in the demand for a JPC," BJP spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain told.

Seeking to target Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the 2G scam, Hussain said that the Government cannot separate its responsibility from the "corrupt ways" of an individual. "Shielding the corrupt is as grave a crime as perpetrating corruption," the BJP leader said.

Government had ruled out setting up a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the alleged irregularities and offered to discuss the issue in Parliament for four days.

Barring the opening day on November 9, Parliament has remained in a state of a deadlock with the opposition steadfast in its demand for a JPC. Financial business of the Government was passed by both the Houses amid din and without any debate.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, on Saturday appealed to the opposition parties to let Parliament function so that a debate on the issue could take place. "I have requested them (opposition) to come back to the House and let the whole issue be debated in Parliament. Let them say whatever they want to say on the floor of the house and the Government will respond," he said in Kolkata.

On the issue of Central Vigilance Commissioner P J Thomas, Hussain said the appointment was opposed by Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj and yet the Government went ahead with it.

"What secrets of the Congress are known to the CVC that the Government is not acting against him," Hussain said. Stating that Thomas was the Telecom Secretary when the alleged irregularities in 2G spectrum allocations took place, the BJP sought to know "under whose pressure was he appointed to the key post of the CVC".