PM keeps awaiting word from 10 Janpath: Advani

NEW DELHI - Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Wednesday attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for not agreeing to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum scam, saying that he keeps waiting for what 10 Janpath says.

“What 10 Janpath has to say on every issue, he keeps waiting for,” Advani said while addressing a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rally here, referring to the official residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Advani also maintained that the prime minister had the power to give the go ahead for a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum allocation.

I appeal him (prime minister) to realise the power of the post, Advani said.

He said that the prime minister had made a big mistake by merely acknowledging a letter from former communications minister A. Raja in which the DMK leader had given an inkling of his plans related to the 2G spectrum allocation.

He (the prime minister) acknowledged the letter and in a way gave his approval (to Raja), Advani said.

Advani said that he had been told by a United Progressive Alliance (UPA) minister during the stalemate in parliament that the prime minister had no objection to a JPC and a meeting of ministers was to be called for the purpose.

We were expecting a decision will be taken. Why it did not happen, I can’t say, Advani said.

He said that the purpose of the NDA rally and its present struggle on the streets was to force a JPC probe.

We will attack the PM. We have full right to ask him for a JPC. The opposition is united, Advani said.

He said that Manmohan Singh should accept the demand for a JPC so that 2010 is not labelled as the year of stinking scams.

If anybody has power to accept JPC, it is the prime minister. He should accept the demand for JPC.

Advani said NDA rallies will be held in Guwhati, Mumbai, Chennai, Kanpur, Rohtak, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Bhopal, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad during the next two months and they would continue to attack the prime minister for not conceding to the the demand for a JPC probe.

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s report, tabled in parliament last month, has criticised the allocation of second generation airwaves to telecom firms in 2008 and said it had caused massive losses to the exchequer.

The prime minister has said he had nothing to hide and was ready to face parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to answer questions on the 2G spectrum allocation but was against the formation of a JPC. Both PAC and JPC are made up of MPs from all parties but have varying mandates.