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Coming out in a staunch defence of Manmohan Singh, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said here on Friday that the Supreme Court, in its verdict cancelling 2G licences, had not passed any ‘strictures’ against either the Prime Minister or UPA Government.
“There are no strictures or anything like that against either the Prime Minister or the Government. In fact, the Judges have said that the Prime Minister has done his job. He sent a communication to the Minister concerned. But, the Minister did not act on the PM’s communication,” Pawar said, as he quoted the observations by Justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly that former Telecom Minister A Raja had not bothered to heed the PM’s advice for adopting “transparency” and “fairness” in the allocation of scarce spectrum.
Addressing a Press conference at the State NCP headquarters here, Pawar admitted that the 2G scam had brought disrepute to the system and the Government. He, however, Pawar differed with the contention that the Government should accept collective responsibility for the scam. “The spectrum allocation was made by an individual ministry and not by the Cabinet,” he said.
While he did not think that the 2G scam verdict would have any bearing on the prospects of the UPA in the Assembly polls in five States, Pawar admitted that there could some adverse repercussions on India as an investment destination.
Pawar predicted that the Congress might win Assembly polls in Punjab, while in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi party might emerge as the single largest party.
“In the event of SP emerging the single largest party in UP, there is a possibility of it forming the next Government in that State in alliance with the Congress and Ajit Singh’s party. In Goa and Manipur, the SC verdict have no effect on the UPA constituents like us”, he said, as he asked mediapersons to wait and see for themselves as to what impact the SC verdict would have on the Assembly poll outcome.
Pawar conceded that that the SC verdict cancelling the 2G licences had made the ministries cautious in clearing or allotting projects. “I have myself asked my personal assistant to stop a developmental project allotment that was about to be cleared. I have asked the secretary to check and recheck every tender in detail before we clear the allotment in any project. Of course this would certainly cause a delay in the implementation of projects but then most of the ministries have decided to adopt a cautious approach in clearing projects,” Pawar said.
Pawar reiterated that he would not contest the Lok Sabha polls in future, even while maintaining that it did not mean that he would retire from public life.
“There are no strictures or anything like that against either the Prime Minister or the Government. In fact, the Judges have said that the Prime Minister has done his job. He sent a communication to the Minister concerned. But, the Minister did not act on the PM’s communication,” Pawar said, as he quoted the observations by Justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly that former Telecom Minister A Raja had not bothered to heed the PM’s advice for adopting “transparency” and “fairness” in the allocation of scarce spectrum.
Addressing a Press conference at the State NCP headquarters here, Pawar admitted that the 2G scam had brought disrepute to the system and the Government. He, however, Pawar differed with the contention that the Government should accept collective responsibility for the scam. “The spectrum allocation was made by an individual ministry and not by the Cabinet,” he said.
While he did not think that the 2G scam verdict would have any bearing on the prospects of the UPA in the Assembly polls in five States, Pawar admitted that there could some adverse repercussions on India as an investment destination.
Pawar predicted that the Congress might win Assembly polls in Punjab, while in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi party might emerge as the single largest party.
“In the event of SP emerging the single largest party in UP, there is a possibility of it forming the next Government in that State in alliance with the Congress and Ajit Singh’s party. In Goa and Manipur, the SC verdict have no effect on the UPA constituents like us”, he said, as he asked mediapersons to wait and see for themselves as to what impact the SC verdict would have on the Assembly poll outcome.
Pawar conceded that that the SC verdict cancelling the 2G licences had made the ministries cautious in clearing or allotting projects. “I have myself asked my personal assistant to stop a developmental project allotment that was about to be cleared. I have asked the secretary to check and recheck every tender in detail before we clear the allotment in any project. Of course this would certainly cause a delay in the implementation of projects but then most of the ministries have decided to adopt a cautious approach in clearing projects,” Pawar said.
Pawar reiterated that he would not contest the Lok Sabha polls in future, even while maintaining that it did not mean that he would retire from public life.
