Public Accounts Committee chairman K V Thomas defended Tuesday his stand that the panel has the power to summon a cabinet minister, including the prime minister. He had said so in Kochi three months ago. On Tuesday, he told reporters in response to a question that the rule empowering the PAC in this respect had supremacy over a direction of the Speaker to the contrary. Thomas is scheduled to relinquish the chairmanship of the most powerful parliamentary committee at the end of this month. He will be succeeded by Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. Thomas said the rule in question stated the PAC could call a cabinet minister provided there was a unanimity in the panel and the Speaker permitted it. Considering that the ruling coalition had a majority in the panel, headed by an Opposition member, there was no chance of a cabinet minister, let alone the prime minister, being called. “At the same time, there is a direction of the Speaker [issued years ago] that the committee cannot summon a cabinet minister. This rule is above the Speaker’s direction,” Thomas said. The prime minister, in his view, was the “first among equals” and the PAC could therefore summon him too. Thomas clarified it did not mean PM Narendra Modi would be summoned. “All I am saying is PAC needs to be strengthened – it is the mother of all parliamentary committees,” he said. After Thomas took this position, PAC member Nishikant Dubey (BJP) wrote to the Speaker, seeking to move a privilege motion. His complaint: Thomas had lowered the dignity of the PM by claiming to summon him. “We fail to understand how the PAC chairman could make such an announcement without discussion with members of the PAC,” he said.
