Friday, November 19, 2010

Joint parliamentary committee - a solution?

The opposition parties BJP and CPM have been stalling parliament for a week and the INC, the party in power, is denying the need for any joint parliamentary committee. Entire media is watching and reporting the comments from the leaders of both sides.

Creating JPC is reasonable and moral method followed in democracy. 
  • It is most useful in cases where there is difference of opinion between the parties involved in an issue. Say in case Ayodha Masjid vs. Temple or Telangana state formation, people across the table needs to hear appeals of all sides and the committee come with common solution.  The current spectrum scam is not such issue.
  • It is also used to restore the trust in the government when there are public doubts in the way some body of government functioned. The committee observe all the administrative records and come up with a conclusion whether there was misdeed.  Spectrum scam fits this profile.
Why is congress government not willing to agree to JPC? If it is against any other government organisation like central bank or university grants commission,  it will agree. However the case is about a ministry of the government and very center of the government. Why do the central government want some one in opposition investigate the case against them?  The answer it says is the case is being looked by investigative agencies. What are those agencies?  CBI and TRAI that can not work independently without support from ministers.

The opposition is not right for different reason. First, the supreme court is on the issue now and there is need for another committee to investigate now. Secondly, is there something need to be proved now? It is known fact now from the leaks of CAGS report.  All parties now need to work on two solutions - how to recover funds of public exchequer and institutions to avoid future scams.

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