New Delhi, Dec 10: BJP today targeted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his "complete silence" on the ongoing impasse over formation of a JPC to probe into 2G spectrum allocation and said he should not be seen losing his "will to rule".
"It's not merely going abroad. Besides this entire impasse, there are two-three other factors which are visible after this stalemate. The most visible factors have been the complete absence and silence of the Prime Minister on the issue of major stalemate and crisis which this country is facing," Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley told reporters here.
He was responding to a question on the visit of the Prime Minister to Belgium and Germany during the ongoing Winter Session.
Jaitley said in a democracy, the Prime Minister occupies a premier position and he "can't be absent from a national debate in or out of Parliament, particularly when the whole country is extremely interested in knowing the real truth...on crucial domestic issues, a Prime Minister should not be seen to be losing his will to rule."
Maintaining that Prime Ministers do have to go abroad even during sessions, he said such tours, however, should be avoided as far as possible when Parliament was in session.
To a question on the logjam in Parliament, Jaitley said his party does not like the stalemate. "But the stalemate has resulted in the resignation of the Minister (A Raja) and the CBI raids...whether the raids are an eyewash remains to be seen," he said.
Attacking the government for not accepting the demand of the Opposition for a JPC probe, he said "they are willing to get the matter examined by Public Accounts Committee or a retired judge but not by JPC. The terms and reference of JPC and its wider scope has perhaps caused them worry." PTI
