Singh did not consult Congress on willingness to appear before PAC

Kolkata: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had declared — without consulting anyone else — that he was prepared to appear before parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) investigating the 2G spectrum issue.

Mukherjee told a meeting of Congress functionaries that had Manmohan Singh consulted him before making the statement on December 20, he would have advised him against it because the prime minister is accountable to the entire Lok Sabha.

"The prime minister declared this on his own, without consulting any of us. However, had he consulted us, I would have advised him on the contrary. Because I am conservative."

Accountability

"I believe in following parliamentary norms. Why don't ministers appear before such parliamentary committees? The reason is very simple. Because a minister is accountable to the Lok Sabha, [or in the state] to the assembly," he said.

"In the Lok Sabha, he is accountable to 543 members... He has become minister because out of 543 Lok Sabha members, at least 272 members support his party, they support the prime minister," said Mukherjee. "His accountability is to the entire house, not a part of the house."

Last month, the prime minister said he was making an unprecedented offer to appear before the PAC.