New Delhi: Making a scathing attack on the opposition led by BJP, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday accused them of subverting the Constitution by stalling Parliament repeatedly over the 2G spectrum issue.
He also rejected the opposition demand for a JPC probe into the alleged irregularities in the 2G spectrum allocations contending that the government had handed over the case to CBI last year "where as the BJP raised the issue only in 2010".
"You (BJP) are asking for a JPC in 2010... The CBI has been probing the 2G spectrum case since 2009. The CBI filed an FIR in the matter in October 2009," Mukherjee said while moving the political resolution at the ongoing 83rd Congress Plenary at Burari on the fringes of the national capital.
He contended that a joint parliamentary committee cannot probe any case but only make recommendation to the government.
Ruling out setting up a JPC, he said the oldest watchdog body of the country -- the Public Accounts Committee -- has been examining the 2G spectrum issue and simultaneous investigations were being carried out by the CBI, a one-man
Commission set up by the Telecom Ministry, Income Tax officials and the Enforcement Directorate.
"What will a JPC do? There is no rational explanation," he said and accused the opposition of subverting the Constitution by forcing repeated adjournments of Parliamentary proceedings.
"Congress men and women will rise against any attempt to subvert the Parliamentary system," Mukherjee said.
In an oblique reference to Karnataka, he said the BJP had debarred members of a state assembly who were preparing to vote against the Chief Minister.
On the other hand, Mukherjee said Congress had changed chief ministers and cabinet ministers even if there was a
"shadow of doubt against them".
Launching a broadside against the opposition, Mukherjee said a person who had resigned following allegations of fraud during the NDA rule had been reinstated though a probe against him was yet to clear his name in the alleged scam.
Mukherjee said the people of the country had renewed their mandate in favour of the Congress in 2009 which was larger than the one in 2004.
"Those political parties who were with us in alliance gained or retained their strength. Those who deserted us, lost. People want the Congress to lead," he said.
Mukherjee listed threat to internal security, rise of communal forces, growing regional aspirations, politics of confrontation and terror acts aided and abetted from across the border as major challenges before the country.
"Power comes from the support of the people not by wielding the gun. We have kept the door open for talks and negotiations. We hope good sense will prevail," he said on the issue of Naxalism.
He said the government had taken key steps to tackle the threat from across the border and no major terror attacks had taken place since 26/11 barring the one in Pune and another in Varanasi.
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