Offer To Set Up Ethics Panel

The promise came after pandemonium erupted in the Rajya Sabha over the recent recovery of over Rs 3.66 crore from the residences of former communications minister Sukh Ram. The left parties demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to go into the entire gamut of the telecom tendering issue, involving crores of rupees, and fix responsibility for once and for all.

But the Left parties and the BJP were divided on the issue of constituting a joint parliamentary committee to probe into the Sukh Ram episode, including into related issues on telecom deals.

The differences resulted in a loss of heat in the debate in Rajya Sabha over the issue and lightened the pressure on the government to take immediate measures.

 

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta stoutly demanded creation of a JPC. But BJP leader Sikandar Bakht said JPCs do not serve any essential purpose because the government has ignored the recommendations of JPCs set up earlier.

Congress-I leader Pranab Mukherjee said his party will accept whatever decision the government takes in the matter.

He disagreed with Dasgupta that the Congress-I was also agreeable to the demand for setting up a JPC.

Dasgupta, however, maintained that no useful purpose will be served by setting up an ethics committee.