The Bharatiya Janata Party's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the 2G spectrum scam along with those of Commonwealth Games projects and Adarsh Housing society are neither correct nor timely, Communist Party of India said on Saturday.
Communist Party of India - Marxist general secretary Prakash Karat on Sunday stated that the Left parties would not compromise on the demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the 2G spectrum scam.The CPI-M leader underlined the urgent need for an alternative economic policy as the people were reeling under scorching prices for the 'wrong policies adopted by the United Progressive Alliance'.
The opposition party also demanded an investigation by a Joint Parliamentary Committee into the alleged "links of Facebook employees and the ruling establishment".
The 2G spectrum scam may have caused a colossal loss to the national exchequer, but the standoff between the government and opposition over it has resulted in the further wastage of over Rs 146 crore as the entire Winter Session of the Parliament was virtually washed out.
Anguished over the stalemate in Parliament over demand of Joint Parliamentary Committee into 2G Spectrum scam, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Friday said she would "do anything" to ensure that it does not spill over to the budget session.
The Opposition and government may be slugging it out over the losses caused to the national exchequer due to the 2G spectrum allocation but their stand-off has resulted in wastage of over Rs 95 crore on account of Parliament not functioning for the last 15 days.
However, BJP members claimed that the opposition members were abusing the chairman of the committee Jagadambika Pal.
The 2010 winter session is set to go down in the history of the Parliament as one and the first one which did not deliberate even a minute. It is likely to be adjourned sine die.
The motion has already been approved by the Lok Sabha.
The central bank has advised banks and financial institutions to 'seriously and promptly consider initiating criminal action against willful defaulters, wherever necessary, based on facts and circumstances of each case."
The government said on Thursday that it was committed to demutualisation and corporatisation of stock exchanges to prevent recurrence of securities scams.
Department of Company Affairs on Wednesday said it has set up a five-member Task Force to initiate action within six months on the recommendations of the report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the stock market scam in 2001.
Lambasting the government for multiplicity of laws and regulations on food safety standards, the Joint Parliamentary Committee report on pesticide residues in soft drinks has asked it to quickly finalise the draft Modern Integrated Food Law.
Pepsi and Coca-Cola India have been asked to depose before the joint parliamentary committee probing pesticide allegations in beverages on December 16 and 17, respectively.
The Samajwadi Party is going all out against the Congress, drawing parallels to the Watergate scandal.
Coca-Cola India has written a letter to the joint parliamentary committee, probing allegations of pesticides in beverages, seeking permission to depose before it.
Jayalalithaa also said that in her letter to a newspaper on Saturday, she had pointed out that Left parties did not invite her party to take part in a protest rally in Delhi against India's joint naval exercises with other nations, including the US.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday rejected the Opposition's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into both the IPL controversy and the phone-tapping issue, on the ground that it was not needed. "JPC for what? This is not a fit case for JPC," Dr Singh said when asked about the Opposition's demand for a JPC into the phone-tapping allegation. He said Home Minister P Chidambaram had explained the phone-tapping allegations in Parliament.
Hours after Congress leader Manish Tewari on Thursday said the government might get the Digital Data Protection Bill classified as a money bill, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw refuted the charge and termed it a "normal bill".
The stage is set for a direct contest between NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy for the September 9 vice-presidential election. Nominations have been scrutinized and accepted.
'It is not as if Hindus are not being touched at all, and only Muslims are.'
The government's support is there for Air India, (but) it comes with a condition, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said.
Paswan said he was willing to contest the upcoming Bihar assembly polls as an NDA partner "if the BJP so desires", and made light of estranged uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras' recent meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In the letter, they said as members of the committee, it is their moral and constitutional responsibility to discuss this matter with utmost urgency and the required sincerity.
In Lok Sabha, Deputy Leader V K Malhotra demanded the suspension of Question Hour as soon as the House met for the day.
The Centre for Science and Environment which alleged that soft drinks brands in India contain high levels of pesticides, is scheduled to make a detailed presentation before the Joint Parliamentary Committee which may meet on October 9 and 10.
Chennai-based DSQ Software may earn the dubious distinction of becoming the first company to be referred to the newly-created Serious Frauds Investigation Office for its role in the securities scam, sources said on Tuesday.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed in the Lok Sabha early Thursday, with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.
As prime minister, Dr Singh is obviously more worried about growth, inflation and rural jobs
'The new Bill introduces no policy or rate changes, leaving financial planning strategies largely unaffected.'
'The considerations for choosing between the old and new tax regimes remain essentially unchanged.'
The government rejected the Opposition's demand for a discussion on electoral roll revision in Bihar, citing that the matter is sub judice and pending before the judiciary.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee, probing the 2001 stock market scam and the UTI fiasco tabled its report in the Parliament.
Concerned over several violations by overseas corporate bodies including misuse of Indo-Mauritius double taxation avoidance treaty, the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which probed the securities scam has highlighted the absence of regulation.
Rejecting the Opposition demand for a JPC probe into demat share scam, the Government Tuesday said SEBI was examining the matter and strictest possible action would be taken against those involved in the irregularities.