Now, Cong, AAP not inclined to join JPC

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN RECENT HISTORY OF PARL THAT SEVERAL OPPN PARTIES HAVE BOYCOTTED A JPC TO REVIEW A SET OF BILLS

- Saubhadra Chatterji and Sanjeev K Jha

The Congress on Sunday expressed unwillingness to be part of the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to look into three bills seeking removal of ministers accused of serious crime and incarcerated for 30 days, after allies Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) decided to boycott the panel.

Congress general secretary and Rajya Sabha chief whip Jai-ram Ramesh said the party is “disinclined” to join the JPC that is likely to be set up soon comprising 31 lawmakers — 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha — to examine the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill.

On Sunday, the AAP targeted the BJP-led Centre over the proposed Constitution amendment Dill, alleging it was aimed at jailing Opposition leaders in false cases and destabilising elected governments.

‘AAP’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh said the bill had “nothing to do with fighting corruption” and was instead “intended to topple governments, break parties, indulge in horsetrading, trap opposition leaders in false cases, send them to jail and force their resignations.”