Eleven members of the committee dismissed the 2G Spectrum draft report circulated by Dr. Joshi. As soon as the members met seven congress, two DMK and one each from SP and BSP collectively rejected the report saying it was prepared with malafide intention.
For over three hours, these MPs sought to put the Chairman on the mat, accusing him of presenting a “one-sided” report with “malafide” intention and demanded his Dr. Joshi resignation.
The Committee was scheduled to submit its report by Saturday. Dr. M M Joshi left the meeting after unprecedented scenes were created in the meeting room. Nine members of BJP, JD(U), BJD and AIDMK too left the proceedings after departure of MM Joshi. Later Dr. Joshi told reporters that he adjourned the meeting after he was not allowed to speak by the ruling party members.
Earlier, Congress MP Saifuddin Soz moved a resolution seeking a vote on the adoption of the draft report. Subsequently ruling coalition MPs elected Congress member Saifuddin Soz as next chairman who put the resolution to vote and rejected the draft.
The MPs included seven from Congress and two DMK besides one member each from of SP and BSP. Soz who later presided the PAC told media that he would present the whole proceedings to the Speaker for her decision.
Soz is a member of the Rajya Sabha.
“It was a piquant situation. The Chairman ran away,” said Soz, adding further steps would be taken in consultation with the Speaker and according to the norms and provisions of democracy and Constitution.
An agitated Joshi questioned the sanctity of the proceedings after he had adjourned the meeting, saying there cannot be any voting in the absence of proper proceedings.
He said members had levelled allegations that the writing of the draft was “outsourced” and he had promised to “look into” these.
BJP spokesperson Ravi shanker prasad alleged that the ruling coalition is attempting to tarnish the image of the institution like PAC. He said, the members of the ruling combine in the Committee had no objection to questioning top government functionaries and captains of industry and when it was turn of PMO officers and Attorney General, they started disrupting the proceedings.
However Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari has said that the PAC should have been differed once JPC was constituted to examine the 2G scam. Alleging MM Joshi for outsourcing the report he said that JPC will look into the matter holistically.