People's Democracy

Thoroughly Probe S Band Scam: Yechury

SITARAM YECHURY, a member of the CPI(M) Polit Bureau and leader of the party’s group in Rajya Sabha, has demanded a thorough probe into the sale of the valuable S Band by the Indian Space  Research Organisation (ISRO) to Devas, a private company, for a song. Yechury raised the demand at a press conference on February 7, arranged in another context, as it was the very day when the news about the S Band scam surfaced, with the string that it appeared to be a bigger scam than the earlier 2G scam.  

Yechury also replied to the query by journalists about the continuing deadlock between the UPA government and the opposition on the demand of a JPC probe into the 2G scam. He said the Left is still in favour of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe the 2G scam, adding that the arrest of the erstwhile telecom minister, A Raja, in this connection showed how much a JPC probe is necessary. Yechury reiterated that only a JPC probe would be able to highlight how the manipulation of the whole system became possible and what changes in the rules and regulations are necessary, so that such scams are not repeated in future.

On the question of the parliament not being allowed to function on the issue of a JPC probe, the CPI(M) leader said the parliament must indeed function but it was the government’s  adamant attitude of not constituting a JPC that did not allow the parliament to function during its winter session. He said the CPI(M) wants the parliament to function but it is first and foremost the responsibility of the government to ensure it.