DMK seeks Chacko's removal over 2G JPC report leakage

New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) The DMK Monday sought the removal of P.C. Chacko as the chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probing 2G spectrum allocation, after the draft report was leaked to media.

The DMK has given a notice of breach of parliament's privilege against the leakage of the JPC draft report, which has blamed former telecom minister A. Raja for the spectrum allocation and cleared Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram of any wrongdoing.

"We have given privilege notice to the honourable Speaker (Meira Kumar) against the leakage of JPC draft report by the JPC chairman," DMK leader T.R. Baalu told reporters here.

He said the party will ask for the removal of Chacko as the JPC chairman. Raja belongs to the DMK.

"We will ask for his (Chacko's) removal as he has lost the confidence of members," Baalu said.

Baalu also said that the party's two members in the JPC - Trichi Siva and himself - had already prepared a dissenting note to the draft JPC report, and matters would be clear after the April 25 meeting of the JPC.

He refused to elaborate, though, about the points on which the DMK would be dissenting with the findings of the JPC.

The entire winter session of parliament was washed out in 2011 as the BJP did not allow the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to run till a JPC probe was set up to look into the telecom licence policy.

The issue came up after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) alleged a presumptive loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore in the allocation of 2G spectrum licences during the UPA-I government.

--Indo-Asian News Sevice

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