Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today rebuffed Yashwant Sinha's demand for his appearance before JPC whose chief ruled out any such possibility, prompting the BJP leader to allege that he has something to hide.
Two days after Sinha, a JPC member, wrote to him, Singh responded by saying that he has nothing to hide and all "pertinent" documents related to 2G spectrum allocation of 2008 are available with the committee.
"The decision as to what evidence should be sought and which individuals should be asked to appear before the JPC is a matter that needs to be decided internally by the JPC and its Chairman," the Prime Minister said in his letter to Sinha.
Singh underscored that he had said "from the beginning that neither the Government nor I have anything to hide in this matter" related to 2G spectrum allocation.
"You are aware that all pertinent records and documents available with the Government have already been placed at the disposal of the JPC," he told the BJP leader.
Sinha had demanded that Singh should appear before JPC to "clear" his name after former Telecom Minister A Raja alleged that the Prime Minister was in the loop over 2G spectrum allocation.
JPC Chairman P C Chacko also rejected Sinha's demand, saying the committee has "passed that phase" and was in the process of drafting its report.
"There is no question of calling the Prime Minister or any minister just like that. We cannot call people merely because of somebody making a statement, " Chacko, who is also Congress spokesman, told reporters here.
The JPC chief, who had yesterday rubbished Sinha's demand as a "political stunt", today questioned how any individual member of the committee could make such a suggestion when a due process has to be followed on whether any minister has to be called before the panel or not.
Reacting to this, Sinha said if the Prime Minister does not appear before JPC, people will come to a conclusion that he has a "lot to hide".
He maintained that Singh should have appeared before JPC in his own interest, especially after Raja levelled allegations against him.
