New York:
With the opposition gunning for Home Minister's P Chidambaram's resignation over the Finance Ministry's note to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on the 2G scam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today came out in strong defence of Mr Chidamaram and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Dr Singh said he has faith in both ministers and is not bothered by what the opposition has to say. (
Read: Finance Ministry's note against Chidambaram on 2G)
"The business of the opposition is to oppose or depose the government... nothing unusual they are doing," said the Prime Minister on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session which he addressed earlier today.
When asked whether he will back Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as he earlier backed the Home Minister, Dr Singh said, "Of course, my ministers enjoy my confidence in full." (
Read: PM backs Chidambaram, says he has 'my full confidence')
The controversy surrounding Mr Chidambaram and Mr Mukherjee stems from a note by the Finance Ministry, written in March this year, questioning his actions when the telecom scam was playing out in 2008. It suggests that Mr Chidambaram, who was then Finance Minister, should have done more to ensure that spectrum was not given at throwaway rates to companies that were being favoured by A Raja, who was then Telecom Minister and is now in jail.
Mr Mukherjee, who is in Washington to attend the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, has cut short his visit in Washington and is rushing to New York to meet the Prime Minister. He is scheduled to meet Dr Singh tomorrow morning.
Earlier today, former Finance Minister and senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha called for Mr Chidambaram to be sent to jail. He also wants the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate Mr Chidambaram.
"Chidambaram belongs in Tihar jail, he belongs to the same cell where Raja is," Mr Sinha had said.(
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