PAC divided: Wind it up, say Congress, DMK members

The divisions within Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, which is looking into the 2G scam, came in the open today, when Congress and DMK members questioned the very need for the PAC to continue its probe when the same matter was also being looked into by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

As a result of the aggressive arguments within the PAC, the scheduled questioning of Central Bureau of Investigation director A P Singh, attorney general Goolam E Vahanvati, and law secretary D R Meena today was postponed, as was tomorrow's hearing of cabinet secretary K M Chandrashekar and principal secretary to the prime minister, T K A Nair.

Reports said Singh was kept waiting for four hours and Vahanvati for an hour before being told they would not be required. Meena had a similar experience, having to wait even longer than Singh.

Following the fracas, Joshi did not address a press conference which he does usually after every sitting. "The committee has decided not to have a press conference," he told reporters.

What was simmering for long spilled over into an open war today with Congress and DMK members questioning PAC Chairman Murli Manohar Joshi of BJP as to why the inquiry into the spectrum scam be continued because the matter was sub judice.

The debate, sometimes heated, went on for over three hours; and officials were seen taking copies of the terms of reference of the JPC to members.