Oppn demand for JPC probe red herring political stunt: Singhvi

Chennai, Jan 15 (PTI) Dismissing the Opposition demandfor a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum allocation scam as a "redherring political stunt", Congress today accused them oftrying to keep the issue boiling by insisting only on it.

"It is a red herring political stunt and that is whywe are not accepting it. If we are scared why would there beeight proceedings, including CBI and IT probes into thematter," AICC spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

Speaking to reporters here, he charged the Oppositionwith trying to keep the issue boiling.

"What extra will the JPC do that the CBI or the IncomeTax department cannot do? The Opposition wants to divert anddigress and keep the issue boiling," he said, adding allpossible help to Public Accounts Committee had been offered,including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh volunteering to appearbefore the panel, headed by BJP''s Murli Manohar Joshi.

Singhvi, who was here to attend a function, said thereis a difference among Congress and BJP and other parties whenit came to acting on corruption charges.

"There are these eight proceedings going on in the 2Gspectrum issue alone. As for as BJP is concerned, the partynot only legitimised Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa(on land scam and illegal mining allegations) but alsoreappointed him," he said.

While any political party had to face corruptioncharges, it was Congress which acted on them, he said in anapparent reference to scams such as Adarsh Housing andCommonwealth games linked to its party leaders.

Asked if the 2G spectrum allocation scam had''embarrassed'' his party, he said it arose only when there wasan attempt to hide or cover up things.

"We are unequivocally committed for punishing theguilty and that such things don''t recur," he said.

On Congress-DMK ties and AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa''soffer of support to the former in case of DMK''s exit over thespectrum issue some weeks back, he said, "As of now, we(Congress and DMK) are in a marriage. We are where we are."

Condoling the death of pilgrims at Idukki district ina stampede on Friday, he said preventive mechanism should beevolved to ensure such mishaps do not recur.

Responding to the recent killing of a Tamil Nadufisherman allegedly by the Sri Lankan navy, he said the partywas "intensely concerned".

Referring to the price rise issue, he said the Centrewas adopting a ''concerted multi-pronged'' strategy to manageit.