2G scam: all-party meet fails to end stand-off

An all-party meeting convened by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today to break the impasse over the 2G spectrum scam failed to arrive at a compromise formula on ending the logjam in Parliament.

A determined opposition refused to accept anything short of a government agreement to constitute a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to investigate the 2G-spectrum scam before the Parliament session can return to normal.

Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party had already made its stand known before the meeting started that it would not accept anything short of a JPC probe into the telecom department's murky deals.

"The BJP will not compromise on the need for a JPC," senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had said.

BJP as well as the Left opposition were also of the view that a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry into the scam that caused a loss of over1,76,000 crore revenue to the exchequer cannot be taken seriously.

The all-party meeting was held on the basis of the decision of the Congress core group, which met late yesterday.

Both Houses of Parliament remained adjourned till Tuesday as opposition members refused to budge on their demand for a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum scam.

The Parliament, which started its winter session on 9 November, has been almost non-functional since then with the opposition insisting on a JPC probe into the scam and the government vehemently opposing it.