PRIME Minister Dr Manmohan Singh relented today to a parliamentary probe into a multi-billion dollar scandal over sales of telecoms licences for kickbacks, in a setback for his embattled government and a victory for the opposition.
Dr Singh, wary that a parliamentary probe could drag on for months and overshadow his Congress party-led coalition, only gave in after months of opposition protests stalled the last session and threatened to block passage of the February 28 budget.
“Our country can ill afford a situation when parliament is paralysed,” Dr Singh told parliament.
Dr Singh, accused by the opposition of allowing corruption to go unheeded during his seven-year rule, now faces two battle fronts – the parliamentary probe and an ongoing police investigation.
The federal police have arrested his former telecoms minister and questioned some of the country’s most powerful businessmen, including billionaire telecoms tycoon Anil Ambani, owner of No. 2 mobile carrier Reliance Communications.
Pushed on by a newly assertive Supreme Court, the police have until March 31 to issue chargesheets.
