New Delhi/Jammu: Opposition parties on Thursday rejected Government`s fresh offer for a special Parliament session to debate their demand for JPC on 2G Spectrum scam even as Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee accused them of "destroying" Parliament and demanded an apology.
The prolonged war of attrition between the two sides on the JPC issue showed no signs of abating with the main opposition party saying it was time for government to act, insisting they do not want a debate and that they will settle for nothing less than a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).
"We do not want any debate. We want an inquiry. The government should form a JPC to probe it (2G scam)," Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said in Jammu.
The BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said, "The special session for discussion has no meaning as it (discussion) has already taken place in 2009. Discussing this issue is not going to serve any purpose. We insist on JPC and not any discussion. For the government, time is now to act."
The BJP leaders are in Jammu for the party`s National Office Bearers meeting.
An angry Mukherjee, who made a fresh offer last night for a special session of Parliament in a bid to break the stalemate, accused the Opposition of "destroying" Parliament.
"In the entire winter session, they (Opposition) did not allow any opportunity for any discussion on any issue....They have created deadlock in Parliament. They have destroyed the institution. They should apologise to the nation," Mukherjee, who is also the Leader of the House, told reporters in New Delhi.
The reaction of the Left was on the same lines as of BJP with CPI`s D Raja finding "nothing new" in Mukherjee`s offer.
He recalled that Mukherjee had earlier also made a similar suggestion to discuss the issue and it was rejected by the Opposition.
"I think JPC is very reasonable demand. Opposition is not demanding anything which should not be demanded. The parliamentary rules and procedures allow such a mechanism. If the Prime Minister is willing to appear before PAC, then what is the problem in JPC?," he said.
CPI-M leader Brinda Karat was not enthused by Mukherjee`s offer at an awards function, saying if the Government really has some offer they should call opposition parties and have discussions.
"Is this an offer or a so-called offer by such a senior leader," she asked.
Responding to Mukherjee`s demand for an apology from the opposition, Karat said in fact the government should apologise for the "big scams" going on for the last two years.
Raja at the same time said his party has so far not received any communication from the government for a special session and will discuss it with other Left parties once it happens.
Another BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said BJP has had enough of debates and discussions with the government. "Now we expect some action and will not settle for anything less than a JPC probe," he said.
PTI
