Speaker refuses to fire Chacko, tells 2G JPC to bury differences

Peeved about the uncertainty looming large on the JPC on 2G scam, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar delivered a blunt message to all panel members, including chairman PC Chacko, to “sink their differences” and present its report, while ruling out removal of any member.

Peeved about the uncertainty looming large on the JPC on 2G scam, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar delivered a blunt message to all panel members, including chairman PC Chacko, to “sink their differences” and present its report, while ruling out removal of any member.

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“The faith reposed by Parliament is betrayed by trading allegations against each other. It is, therefore, necessary, for the chairman and the members to sink their differences and present a report as mandated by Parliament,” Kumar wrote.

She rejected the demand of 15 opposition leaders to oust Chacko while brushing aside demand of six Congress MPs to remove former BJP ministers Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha and Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Hours after receiving the letter, Chacko reached out to the Opposition leaders including Yashwant Sinha and Gurudas Dasgupta to end the stalemate. Opposition leaders advised him to seek an extension.

“The JPC should not be seen as unable to produce a report. If it collapses abruptly, then all of us will be seen in a bad light,” Dasgupta told HT.

Chacko had cancelled the last meeting of the JPC after 15 opposition members moved to the Speaker seeking his removal.

But on Tuesday, Chacko told HT, “Let me see when I can call a meeting at the earliest. I will also seek an extension for the panel.”

Earlier, he was reluctant to seek an extension citing that the Speaker is yet to decide on the opposition’s demand.