Winter Session ends, Sonia says no to JPC

As the Winter Session of Parliament ended today with virtually no business done amid Opposition protests over the 2G spectrum scam, Congress President Sonia Gandhi hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on the issue of corruption.

Taking a high moral ground after having fired “tainted” United Progressive Alliance (UPA) ministers and chief ministers, Gandhi challenged that no other party could claim this position on the issue of corruption.

With a few crucial Assembly elections scheduled early next year, Gandhi today said her party would now take the fight on the streets and explain “the Opposition’s double standard and double speak” to voters.

Gandhi’s speech at the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting today clearly indicated that even as it failed to transact important business in Parliament due to the deadlock over the Opposition’s demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe, the Congress and the UPA government would go on the counter-offensive and not be cowed down under Opposition pressure.

“Let me reiterate in clearest terms: Our government has nothing to hide or fear. Our concerns are that we should not undermine the established institutions such as the Public Accounts Committee and the CBI. Nor should we do anything that will denigrate the institution of the Prime Minister. We can not sacrifice institutions at the altar of political expediency,” she said.

Reiterating that the Congress party “stands solidly” behind Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Gandhi complimented Singh for his “wise leadership, remaining calm amidst the storm and unwavering devotion to the progress and prosperity of the nation”.

She listed the steps taken by the government to show that the 2G spectrum scam was tackled in different ways. “It is abundantly clear that the government is determined to get to the root of the matter,” Gandhi said.

The Congress chief then made a comparison between her party and the BJP on the issue of corruption. “Even when no charge has been established or no misconduct has been proved, we have asked ministers and chief ministers to step down, pending an enquiry,” she said.

“How many other parties can make such claim?” Gandhi said before pointing out that the BJP did nothing in Karnataka, took back a senior minister (George Fernandes) in the government while an enquiry was underway in a defence scam and even ‘rehabilitated’ leaders caught taking money in hidden cameras.