New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar
has taken no position on PAC Chairman M M Joshi`s complaint
against Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal for rubbishing the CAG
report on 2G spectrum allocation.
Joshi is apparently not satisfied with the response to
his January 19 complaint and plans to meet the Speaker
personally to discuss the matter further.
In her response to Joshi`s letter, Kumar has merely
cited the rules of conduct of proceedings of Parliamentary
panels, sources said.
The Speaker`s letter was read out by Joshi at the
meeting of the PAC today in which Kumar has written that
Parliamentary Committees are constitutional bodies and all
must function as per the rules laid down, the sources said.
It, however, made no mention to Sibal`s comments which
had created an uproar and earned him the wrath of the PAC.
Sibal had claimed that the 2G spectrum allocation had
caused "zero loss" to the exchequer and had rubbished as
"utterly erroneous" the CAG`s calculation that the presumptive
loss was to the tune of Rs 1.76 lakh crore.
Terming Sibal`s remarks as an insult to Parliamentary
system, Joshi had written to the Speaker on January 19 with a
request her to "take prompt steps to prevent the recurrence of
such constitutional impropriety on part of the ministers".
Asked about the letter, Joshi said he had received a
reply and members of the PAC felt the issue should be
discussed further with the Speaker.
"I will be meeting the Speaker to discuss the matter,"
he said without giving any timeframe.
On the possibility of summoning Sibal, he said a
decision will be taken by the PAC members.
PTI
