BJP leader L K Advani today said his party was forced to press for a JPC probe into corruption issues after Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj was not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha on it.
Addressing BJP MPs from both Houses of Parliament, Advani said, "Initially we never wanted to raise this issue in such a manner.
"We started the discussion on the very first day (of the Winter Session) during Zero Hour and we wanted to discuss the issue through Zero Hour. The Lok Sabha functioned well during Question Hour on that day," Advani, who is the leader of the BJP parliamentary party, said.
He said the decision to demand a JPC was taken when none of the opposition members was allowed to raise the issue of corruption in Parliament.
"When Swaraj raised this issue of corruption, ruling party and its allies opposed it. Even ministers did not allow her to speak. They never allowed Mulayam Singh Yadav, Basudev Achariya and Gurudas Dasgupta to speak on corruption issue.
"Ultimately we decided that if they have become adamant, let us have, instead of debate, a JPC. Let the JPC decide the fate of the entire corruption issue," Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha S S Ahluwalia Ahluwalia said quoting Advani.
Ahluwalia told reporters after the meeting that opposition parties may have political and ideological differences among themselves but they are all united on the demand for a JPC probe.
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The principal opposition accused the ruling Congress of targeting those MPs whose constituencies had undergone changes during delimitation to win their support during a previous no-confidence vote.
"This is not the first time they are playing with corruption. When the no-confidence motion came, they targeted those members whose constituencies were disturbed by delimitation," Ahluwalia said.