THE BURDEN OF INVESTIGATION JPC probe into 2G Spectrum is a meaningless exercise

By Firoz.T.Totanawala

The Bangalore Metro Reporter

15th Feb 2011 Issue-  

          THE BURDEN OF INVESTIGATION

  

      JPC probe into 2G Spectrum is a meaningless exercise

The UPA Government has finally agreed to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the 2G Spectrum scam. The BJP which demanded the JPC did not allow the winter session of the Parliament to transact any business. Now, the JPC is agreed upon and we can expect the Budget session to pass off peacefully. The UPA government did take a tough stand over the matter of not having the JPC, which it perceived would set a bad precedent. The formation of JPC will however become a double edged weapon to the BJP also. Congress on the contrary can use this as an opportunity, to cut size the DMK. Whatsoever, the constitution of JPC to probe the 2G Spectrum may not serve any purpose as there are already multi dimensional probes in action and almost complete on the same.

One does not know the background of the BJP for making a determined bid into the alleged 1.76 lakh crore 2G Spectrum scam. But, there are many chances that the same may backfire the BJP very hard.

Interestingly while the BJP was insisting for a JPC probe, the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament headed by BJP’s senior leader Murali Manohar Joshi was also probing the 2G Spectrum scam. Yet the BJP fiercely demanded JPC. The Public Accounts Committee and the Joint Parliamentary Committee are common but for few differences. Both consist of MP’s of various parties and while PAC is headed by the Opposition, the JPC is headed by the Ruling party. Another difference between the two is that PAC can only summon people up to the rank of bureaucrats and not politicians and JPC can summon anyone related with the scam, be it the PM or an ordinary clerk. The JPC thus becomes the higher version of PAC. It is another matter that while the PAC was on, the Honourable PM had already offered to appear before the PAC if required and this was first time in Indian history.

Kapil Sibal, the HRD Minister who took over the Telecom Ministry after the resignation of the tainted Telecom Minister A. Raja, appointed a retired Supreme Court Judge Shivraj Patil to probe the scam in detail with particular stress in the procedural aspects since 2001. Justice Shivraj Patil submitted a report within a month identifying the procedural lapses and the persons involved including Telecom Minister and other officials. The report also proved embarrassing for the BJP as, it was in power between the years 1999 to 2004. Pramod Mahajan and Arun Shourie of the BJP are also accused of abetting the procedural lapses by the commission.

All in all, three enquiries have already been held over the 2G spectrum scam. The PAC of the Parliament has almost completed the probe. The CBI is half the way and will finish it in a couple of months and Justice Shivraj Patil has already submitted the report over the procedural lapses.

Further constituting a JPC to probe the scam will bear no fruit. The multiplicity of the probes by the PAC, CBI, and ED will all come in the way of the political probe. While this is the fourth JPC probe, it too is expected to bite the dust like the earlier Bofors and Harshad Mehta case.  

The Supreme Court monitored CBI probe is enough to do the justice in this scam. The CBI has already filed charge sheets against Raja and some others and as the investigation continues many more prominent names of Politicians, Bureaucrats, Industrialists will tumble out.

By the way, the Congress too accepted the JPC probe after major factors of the scam already became public and the CBI already roped in the main culprits. Hereafter, the JPC will not have much work to do. Besides, the PAC is also probing the scam. It simply cannot whitewash the scam as it is headed by the opposition leader. And most importantly, the entire scam revolves around the procedure lapses in the telecom ministry, the report of which is already submitted by Justice Shivraj Patil.

In such a scenario, besides gaining the publicity value and an opportunity to blame the ruling Government, the JPC will not serve any other purpose. But truly, that is what the Political party and the politicians are interested in. Is it not?