PAC vs JPC: Joshi on the mat

NEW DELHI - Is the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) more effective than a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for a probe into the spectrum allotment scandal? BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi shied away from giving a clear answer as he tried to strike a balance between the PAC he heads and his party’s demand for a JPC.

Joshi, who was speaking at a seminar on “Financial Oversight by Parliament”, said the PAC would continue digging into the alleged irregularities in the second generation telephony spectrum allotment of 2008 though the “majority” opinion outside parliament favoured the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for the inquiry.

“The PAC will continue to work whether there is JPC or not… It is a misperception that there is no confidence in the PAC. But the perception is that the majority outside parliament is in favour of JPC,” he said at the discussion organised by the PRS Legislative Research at the Ambassador Hotel.

He suggested that if the PAC’s mandate was broadened to summon ministers, it could perhaps do the job that was expected of the JPC.

Defending his panel, he said the PAC “is a body that has the mandate and all powers but cannot summon a minister without seeking the speaker’s permission or take a suo moto action against him (or her)”.

He said a JPC on the other hand “is ad hoc and the terms of references are framed by the government and the government appoints JPC members and even its head which can be from any party”.

Congress’ Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was in the audience, took a dig at Joshi and told him his party was denigrating him by not allowing the PAC that Joshi heads to probe the alleged scandal that has led to parliament not being allowed to function for the last 14 days.

“I am astonished to hear that on the basis of your own perception you (as the head of the PAC) are demanding a JPC and have closed down parliament for so long.

“And you make this ridiculous proposition that the majority outside the parliament that is supposed to have elected a government that is in majority in the house is demanding what the minority in parliament says,” Aiyar said.

Aiyar told Joshi that his own party was undermining his own position and authority.

“You must understand that these Ahulwalias’ (BJP Rajya Sabha MP S.S. Ahluwalia who leads the shouting brigade of the party) of the world are showing you that you are an impotent leader. This circus of farce is damaging the crebility of the institution you head.”

Joshi refused to be drawn into a debate with Aiyar and dodged his provocation. Later, when asked by IANS if he was unhappy over the BJP’s preference to JPC over the PAC.

“I cannot comment on that. The PAC remains an effective body,” was his telling answer.