BJP cut up with govt putting a nominated member in JPC on 2G

Miffed at government putting a nominated member in the JPC on 2G spectrum scam, BJP is likely to write to Rajya Sabha Chairperson Hamid Ansari asking him whether the proportional representation rule will be followed in future committees or the ruling party will have its say.

The Parliamentary Standing Committees, Public Accounts Committee and bodies like the Joint Parliamentary Committee are "miniature Parliaments" and follow the principle of proportional representation where parties are represented as per their strength in each House, BJP leaders contended.

They alleged that the government moved a motion to appoint Ashok S Ganguly, a nominated member, to the JPC for a vacancy created by DMK member T Siva completing his Rajya Sabha tenure. This should have either gone to the AIADMK or the TMC but the government managed to get Ganguly's name passed by a voice vote in the din in the Upper House.

"The winner cannot take all. Ever since the inception of Parliament the parties are represented on committees in proportional representation," a BJP leader said. This principle is also judicially recognised.

The main opposition feels the Chair should reconsider the appointment of Ganguly, and a debate be held in the House on whether the winner takes all. It is likely to demand a detailed ruling from the Chair on this issue and consider withdrawal of the order.

BJP is of the view that since JPC is discussing a sensitive issue it is important that proportional representation is followed as otherwise the government will use its majority to overrule the opposition in the panel.

With Ganguly's appointment the government has, in a way, ensured a majority of one for itself in the JPC. "The 2G spectrum allocation was rigged by the government. Rigging the composition of the JPC will only enable the government to rig the JPC," the senior leader said.

Casual vacancies as the one caused by Siva's retirement has to be filled through proportional representation, the main opposition insists. Filling such a vacancy by a voice vote will mean the winner with 51 per cent (the ruling party or coalition) majority takes all, the BJP said.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Javadekar said Ganguly has been made a member of the JPC by the government "deliberately and by design". "They (government) changed the pattern by putting a nominated member in the JPC to overturn the majority of the opposition as members were demanding the removal of panel chairperson P C Chacko. This has been done to make the probe into 2G scam ineffective," Javadekar said.

"This is an attempt to protect the Prime Minister," he added. BJP alleged that the government is making an effort to cover-up the 2G spectrum scam and Ganguly has been made a member of the JPC to change the equations in the panel. As an opposition member had retired, only a member from the opposition should have replaced him, the party said.

"The UPA government wants to cover-up all scams before they demit office. Proportional representation system has been given a go-by in the JPC... This has been done to turn a minority into a majority," Javadekar said.

Another BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu termed the move as "high-handedness" of Congress. "What the Congress has done is totally high-handedness, just to bury the JPC. Because they feel if the JPC continues its work, it will be very embarrassing for the Congress party because they have so many skeletons to hide," he said.

According to him, the Congress wanted to manipulate the JPC so it wanted to have its own nominees appointed while ignoring the Opposition. "They want to nominate, then dominate, then bury JPC... We are totally against it.

A new precedent has been set up by the government. It speaks of the mindset of the Congress party. They do not believe in democracy. They don't believe in the parliamentary system. We condemn the attitude of the Congress party," Naidu said. He rubbished Congress' contention that the House would decide who is nominated on the committee, saying there is the principle of proportional representation which should be followed.

"If this logic is followed then there would be no opposition members on government committees. They will all be sarkari committees," he said. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla said BJP has been isolated on the issue, prompting the party members to cause disruption in the House.

"BJP had chosen a strategy to rush to the well of House because it was in complete isolation," he said, stressing that the government had the support of JD(U), SP, BSP, DMK and TMC among others. "When BJP realised that they will lose the vote they decided to rush to the well and began shouting slogans," he said.

The Opposition party is also speaking in different voice as its Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha, Ravi Shankar Prasad, demanded secret ballots while Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said there should be no voting, he said.