Responding to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's rejection of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s demand -- that he appear before the Joint Parliamentary Committee in connection to the 2G spectrum allocation case -- the opposition on Wednesday said if the PM had nothing to hide, he should not shy away from the panel.
"The prime minister had earlier written to PAC Chairperson Murli Manohar Joshi that he is ready to appear before the panel. If there is nothing fishy and he has nothing to hide in the 2G spectrum case, then the PM should appear before the JPC," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters.
The party demanded to know why Dr Singh, who had often spoken inside Parliament on crucial issue, did not want to appear before the JPC.
When it was pointed out that the PM has claimed all documents required by the JPC have been provided to it, Hussain shot back, "All those who were called earlier by the JPC could then have e-mailed their statements. JPC is not an agency for collecting papers."
He alleged that the Congress was politicising the JPC as panel chairperson P C Chacko has diminished its importance through his statements.
"Just because the JPC is headed by a Congress Member of Parliament, that does not mean it is a Congress Committee. Chacko should not bulldoze the JPC," Hussain said.