2G scam: BJP unnecessarily raking up JPC report issue, says Manish Tewari

CHANDIGARH: With BJP dubbing the draft JPC report on 2G spectrum scam as a "cover-up" attempt to save the government, Union Minister Manish Tewari today said the party is unnecessarily raking up the issue as a debate could be held on the report when it is presented in Parliament.

"The draft JPC report has been sent to members. Thereafter, the JPC will have a meeting and members can place their views in that meeting. Then the report will be adopted and it will be presented in Parliament. When the report comes in Parliament then we can have a debate on that...," Tewari told reporters here today.

The Information and Broadcasting minister further defended the draft JPC report saying, it was the JPC secretariat which prepared the report.

"...those persons who reject the (JPC draft) report or who make unnecessary comments, they perhaps forgot that Public Accounts Committee report whose Chairman is Murli Manohar Joshi was also prepared by his secretariat. Likewise, it has been a tradition that JPC secretariat prepares the report and then sends it to members," said the Lok Sabha MP from Ludhiana.

On the brutal rape of five-year-old girl in Delhi, Tewari said the incident was deeply painful and pitched for police reforms to check such crimes.

"...the Government has toughened the anti-rape law but there is also a need to work on police reforms. Since it (police reforms) falls under the jurisdiction of states, the Centre and states should work on bringing reforms in police in a coordinated manner," he said.

Tewari said there is also a need for bringing a change in the mindset of male-dominated society.

Asked about Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's visit to Punjab yesterday, he said his visit would strengthen the party and boost the morale of party workers in the state.