Set up JPC to probe corporate espionage: Congress in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: Congress on Thursday demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe the corporate espionage issue as it slammed the government in Rajya Sabha for leakage of crucial documents from major ministries like Petroleum and Defence. The Upper House also saw heated exchanges between the opposition and treasury benches over the issue, with Congress alleging that corporates were running the government and the ruling BJP saying such espionage has been happening in almost all departments for the past 10 years of UPA rule.

Raising the issue during Zero House, Pramod Tiwari (Cong) said the House should rise above party politics and set up a JPC with members of various parties to probe the issue as it concerned matters of national security.

"We should rise above politics. I challenge, let a committee of this House be formed. It will submit its report within a month. Don't divide the House on party lines. It is a question of security of the nation. Let there be a joint parliamentary committee and the country should know," he said.

Tiwari also charged the government of being "run" by industrialists and for working for them and asked how the ministers "who cannot protect their own ministries, can run the country". Countering the charge, Vijay Goel (BJP) expressed surprise that a party like Congress was raising the issue and alleged that such leakage of papers was not only going on but "went on uncontrolled" during the past 10 years of UPA rule.

"For the last 10 years, there was corruption. Secrecy was being violated and none of the guilty was caught. But the NDA government has brought this to check and no one will be spared, be it industry, private players or anyone in the government," Goel said.