Parliament set for showdown over 2G controversy

NEW DELHI: Parliament again appears set for tumultuous scenes on Monday with the opposition united on its demand for sacking Telecom Minister A Raja in the wake of the 2G spectrum controversy, alleged to be one of the biggest scams of independent India.

The main opposition BJP and other parties have given enough hints that they would confront Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament and ask him what action he intended to take against Raja and why he was being shielded.

The opposition also plans to seek an explanation from the Prime Minister for the controversial minister's comments that he had put the PMO in the loop at every stage during the spectrum allocation. Its refrain was that the Prime Minister should break his silence.

"Every time when confronted, Raja stressed that he has sought guidance and permission from the Prime Minister at every stage. This casts heavy responsibility on the PM to clarify whether he has personally approved the procedure, which Raja was adopting," is the contention of opposition leaders.

The Prime Minister, who on Friday returned from the G-20 summit in Seoul, has so far been evading questions on the matter. "Parliament is in session. It is not proper for me to comment on a subject which is also probably in the court," he had said.

The BJP and its allies along with other opposition parties raised the issue vociferously last week which resulted in paralysing Parliament almost on all days.

Non-UPA and non-NDA parties will also meet tomorrow to evolve a "common strategy and collective stand" in the backdrop of the impasse in Parliament on the issue.