'BJP's JPC demand for CWG, Adarsh scams untimely'

The Bharatiya Janata Party's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the 2G spectrum scam along with those of Commonwealth Games projects and Adarsh Housing society are neither correct nor timely, Communist Party of India said on Saturday.

"BJP leader L K Advani's demand is not a correct and timely one. Our agitation has been on having a JPC on the 2G spectrum scam. Once that is conceded you cannot go on adding all types of other scams as the focus on 2G scam will be lost that way," said CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan.

On Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal hinting a JPC to probe into the spectrum scam, he said, "It is already known. What will be done formally may take place in a day, or two or three. But the decision is already known."

Asked whether the coming Budget session of Parliament would be smooth, Bardhan said the winter session faced hurdles on the JPC issue. "If that is solved, I do not think why the budget session cannot run without any deadlock."

In the budget session, beginning February 21, the Left parties would focus on corruption, price rise and other issues concerning the poor, he said.

To a question on the budget, he said the government was more comfortable in bailing out the corporates and the rich. "But the government are very miserly when it comes to the poor. I do not expect there will be any radical change in this approach of the government."

However, it was possible that some populist measures might be announced with an eye on the upcoming Assembly polls in five states.