Government appears to be in no mood to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe either the IPL controversy or phone tapping allegation, notwithstanding the strident demand the opposition has made on both the issues.
Congress sources said there was "no question of a JPC probe" on the either of the issues as it does not serve any purpose.
"Can the Home Minister make a false statement on the floor of the House? We cannot constitute a JPC at the drop of a hat," the sources added.
Regarding the demand of the opposition for a JPC on the raging IPL controversy, a minister shot back saying, "Is JPC equipped to look into the IPL? The money of government is not involved in IPL. Government is only concerned about the violation of laws and the agencies concerned are probing it".
At the party briefing, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the final call on the issue of JPC for both the matters has to be taken by the government.
Singhvi, at the same time, mentioned the practical difficulties in constituting JPC to probe these issues.
"JPC does not have those statutory, penal and coercive powers which are with the country's regulatory and investigating agencies to punish the violators. It is also possible that the ongoing probe into the IPL is impeded with a JPC taking up the matter," Singhvi said.
Referring to the performance of JPCs constituted in the past, Singhvi said, "The history of other JPCs in terms of penal outcomes or punishment to the guilty has not been encouraging."
Singhvi also dismissed suggestions of any contradiction in Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement on the phone tapping issue saying it should be appreciated that the statement, which is a final one, has at the same time left the doors open for further probe if any more correct and credible information on the issue comes up.
'If any credible information comes forward, ofcourse the guilty would be punished," Singhvi said hailing the statement as "very fair, balanced and public interest statement".
"There is no question of awareness of violation. Home Minister speaks as Government of India. He is speaking out the government's view," he said, dismissing estions that the government was in any way behind the alleged tapping of phones of politicians.
Singvhi refused to comment on the suspension of IPL Chairman Lalit Modi saying a political party is not at all concerned with a decision taken by any sports body. PTI
