NEWSLINKS US EDITION COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Three days after the parliamentary deadlock on Tehelka was broken, Bharatiya Janata Party President Jana Krishnamurthi said Thursday there could not be a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the portal's expose on fictitious defence deals "at this stage".
"How can a JPC go into the entire question when an inquiry commission is probing the matter," he said at a press meet in New Delhi.
Asserting that government could not be faulted on any ground, he chided the Congress for not coming up with its demand for JPC earlier and "wasting the precious time" of Parliament by holding up proceedings.
"What prevented the Congress on the day prime minister announced that he would request the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to spare a judge for the inquiry, to come out with its demand for JPC?" he asked.
Krishnamurthi wondered whether it would be a "good precedent" to form the JPC when an inquiry commission had already begun its preliminary work. "Suppose a JPC is constituted, can any government in future ask the Supreme Court for a judicial inquiry on any matter?"
Accusing the Congress of having behaved "irresponsibly" by stalling Parliament, he said it was answerable to the country for it.
Making the BJP's stand clear that there could not be a JPC pobe "at this stage", he, however, added, "let the debate take place. Then only it is for the government and the prime minister to consider it."
PTI
The Complete Coverage | Defence sites
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
