New Delhi:
India's Solicitor General, Gopal Subramaniam, has said that the Supreme Court's criticism of the Prime Minister in the 2G spectrum scam is not an embarrassment. The Solicitor General is due in court on Thursday for the next hearing on the case.
On Tuesday, the court asked the government to explain why the Prime Minister took 11 months to respond to a request by former Law Minister Subramaniam Swamy that asked for former Telecom Minister A Raja to be prosecuted for the 2G scam. (
Read: How Raja allegedly robbed India)
"The alleged inaction and silence is worrying us," said the court.
Raja has been formally indicted in a report by the government's auditor for costing the government nearly Rs. 1.76 lakh crore by refusing to auction 2G spectrum in January, 2008. That report - by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) - was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, though it was leaked to the media last week. It also forced the resignation of Raja on Sunday night. (
Read: 2G scam - 85 companies got licenses by suppressing facts, says CAG)
At that time, the Prime Minister's Office said that Dr Manmohan Singh would address Parliament on the issue - that never happened. (
Read: CAG must ensure reports are fair, says PM)
The Supreme Court's remarks against the PM are making him an easy target for the Opposition.
"I don't recall any incident in the past 60 years of the Supreme Court making such remarks against the PMO. And I believe that the PM should respond to the Supreme Court immediately," said senior BJP leader LK Advani on Wednesday. (
Read: PM must respond to court remarks, says Advani)
In November 2008, Subramaniam Swamy, former Law Minister and Janata Party leader, wrote to the PM asking for permission to prosecute Raja. Since Raja was a serving minister, the PM's sanction was needed for a case to be filed against Raja.
In March this year, the Department of Personnel (who the CBI reports to) wrote back to Swamy saying that since the CBI was investigating the case, it would not be appropriate to consider Swamy's request at this stage.
"For good governance, there must be some time-limit for granting sanctions, if not three months. But 11 months is too long," said the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
There are other MPs who say they too have written to the PM on the spectrum case and did not receive any response.
CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury says has sent three letters on the topic since February 2.
Independent MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar insists the rot goes far beyond A Raja. "There is the minister, there are the bureaucrats, there is the TRAI and then, there are the beneficiaries of the scam. And unless you are able to onc- and-for-all prosecute white-collar crime, this will repeat itself," Chandrashekhar told NDTV.