Cong dares BJP to have a vote on draft report on 2G scam

"Please have the vote tomorrow if Murli Manohar Joshi is ready and BJP is ready," AICC spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters in reply to a volley of questions on the issue.

Speaking close on the heels of PAC Chairman Joshi's press conference, he trashed the BJP veteran's claim that he had submitted the PAC report on the 2G scam to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

Singhvi, a senior lawyer, insisted that Joshi did not allow a formal vote to be recorded at the controversial meeting of the PAC two days back despite Congress and DMK members repeatedly pressing for it.

Besides, he wondered as to why former Telecom Minister A Raja, whose evidence was crucial for the 2G scam probe, was not summoned by the PAC.

He also faulted the PAC chairman for noting the deposition of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister as also that of the Attorney General were mentioned in the draft report when the fact of the matter was they had not appeared before the Committee.

Singhvi sought to project the 'haste' by Joshi of submitting the draft report as aimed at taking a march over BJP veteran L K Advani as PM in waiting.

Wondering how the draft report was leaked to the press, he claimed the draft report conceals more than it reveals as it was "meant for a different audience, different purpose and different ambition".

Alleging that the draft report was outsourced by Joshi, he claimed the "nature, language, speed and technology showed that it was not written in the way it should have been written."

A senior party leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said it would be difficult for Speaker Meira Kumar to accept the draft report as the report of the PAC.

He said that the elderly BJP leader was having his swan song and wanted to make a splash before taking a bow and the PAC job gave him the perfect opportunity.

The leader said Congress could make it difficult for Joshi to work in the PAC if the Speaker went ahead with his renomination as the Chairman as per BJP's request.