The Congress on Monday contended that the opposition's demand for JPC on 2G was just an "attempt to score brownie points" as BJP MP Murli Manohar Joshi-led parliamentary accounts committee (PAC) was conducting a parallel probe.

After the JPC chairperson P C Chacko expressed apprehension about the "parallel probe", Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, "If they (BJP) believe in the efficacy of JPC, they need to rein in their member who is chairperson of PAC."

Tewari blamed the opposition for complete whitewash of the winter session of Parliament due to sustained JPC demands by the opposition. He says, "when the BJP demanded a JPC on 2G issue, they said that PAC does not have the mandate to deal with policy issues. But the way the area of work of PAC has expanded, the BJP should rethink and retrospect. The manner in which the events are unfolding looks as if JPC was needed or the demand was made only to score brownie points," he said.

He also that the BJP members in the JPC were trying to delay the panel’s hearings saying, “It looks as if congress wants to expedite the probe by the JPC where as the opposition wants to slow it down. May be they plan to bring the report during elections.” He added, “The BJP’s strategy is to have the PAC report early so as to corner the government during the next Parliament session and delay the JPC report till the next general election to gain political mileage,” he said.

Congress pointed fingers at BJP’s JPC members Jaswant Singh and Yashwant Sinha for the delay. Congress feels that these leaders are “trying to delay the panel’s hearing by not agreeing to Chacko’s proposal to have meetings three times a week”.

Sources have said that Sinha had refused to attend the first meeting of the JPC saying he had other arrangements lined up for the day.