Mounting pressure,  BJP and the Left parties on Thursday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to break his silence on the spectrum allocation scam, explain the role of PMO and accept the Opposition demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe.

 “The Prime Minister cannot remain silent anymore on such an important issue. He should accept the demand for a JPC and suggest measures to recover losses and fix responsibility,” BJP president Nitin Gadkari said in Mumbai.

“Congress has broken all records of corruption in the recent past which was painful for the country. People of this country have the right to demand answers from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO),” he said.

In Delhi, party spokesperson Prakash Javedekar asked why the PM was “looking the other way” when former Telecom Minister A Raja claimed that he had informed him about every development on the issue.

“Even A Raja has said he has kept informed the Prime Minister’s Office about every development on the 2G issue. So, the Prime Minister’s silence is more eloquent. Why is he looking the other way?” he asked.

“Our only demand is JPC. Why is he (PM) is silent? Now even the Supreme court has asked why the PM was silent on the issue. It has never happened in independent India before that the Supreme Court has asked the Prime Minister to explain. The PM has been asked why he has been silent,” he said.

 The CPI(M) said it was absolutely necessary for the Prime Minister to clear all “charges” vis-a-vis the 2G spectrum allocation and a JPC was the best way available before the government.

Raja has been claiming that all steps regarding the 2G radiowave allocation were taken with the “full knowledge” of the PMO and the Supreme Court has also asked the government to clarify, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said in New Delhi.

 “The matter seems to be becoming more and more grave. Against this backdrop, it is absolutely necessary that the Prime Minister clears himself of all charges and explains the role of PMO before the people and Parliament,” he told reporters here.

Seeking to blunt the attack, Union minister P K Bansal said the opposition parties were not allowing Parliament to function, thereby denying any opportunity to the Prime Minister to speak.

Law Minister Veerappa Moily said there was no “goof up” in the Supreme Court and accused the media of needlessly hyping the issue.

The Supreme Court has posed some embarrassing questions to the government about the lengthy delay on the part of the Prime Minister in taking a decision on a plea for sanction of prosecution of Raja in the controversial 2G spectrum allocation issue.

It had also questioned the “alleged inaction and silence” of the sanctioning authority for several months, saying it was worrying.