The government and the BJP entered into a fresh confrontation Thursday after the Rajya Sabha passed a government motion for appointment of two members including a nominated member in the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G spectrum. The entire opposition was up in arms when the motion to appoint Congress member P Bhattacharya in place of E M S Natchiappan and nominated member Ashok S Ganguly to the panel was moved. Accusing the government of bulldozing and setting extremely dangerous precedents,the BJP stalled proceedings of the House for the day. The Chair was caught in the crossfire as the BJP took exception to Deputy Chairman P J Kuriens decision to take a voice vote in the din. Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley is learnt to have shot off a letter to Chairman Hamid Ansari,seeking reconsideration of the matter. BJP sources said reconsideration for them was either withdrawal of the motion or a ruling from the Chair. While the spectrum allocation itself was rigged,rigging the composition of JPC will enable the government to rig the report, said a BJP leader. After the DMK and TMC pullout,the UPA does not enjoy majority in the JPC. Along with the SP and BSP,it has 14 members excluding JPC chairman P C Chacko in the 30-member panel. The Opposition alleged that by bringing a nominated member in place of retired DMK member Tiruchi Siva,the ruling side attempted to secure majority in the panel.
