Maintaining that there was “no crisis” in the government in the wake of the controversial 2G note, Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid today said the joint statement read out by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee became necessary as the media had created hype over the issue.
“I had been maintaining that there is no crisis. But you (media) claimed there was one. They (Mr. Mukherjee and Home Minister P. Chidambaram) told you there was none. I was right and you were wrong...there was no tiff so there is no question of it being resolved,” Mr. Khurshid told reporters here.
Scoffing at suggestions that Mr. Mukherjee was not willing to make a statement, he said that actually there was no need for a statement.
“There was no need for a joint statement. But since you people had hyped the issue, therefore it became necessary. They both came and made a short statement and that was the end of the matter,” Mr. Khurshid said.
To a question on ‘existence’ of the 2G note, he said the letter existed and “nobody is denying it. I just said read the letter in the commonsense way and you will understand it”.
He also denied suggestions that the March 25 note had “implicated” Mr. Chidambaram who was then Finance Minister.
“No finger has been raised but it is only that a point has been made that had this been done, that would not have happened...,” he said.
“The point is the decision of the government. It is very clear - first come, first serve. A standard arrangement, understanding based on a long range of issues that we need penetration, we want affordability. Revenue was not a priority, expansion, availability and affordability was the priority. Based on that priority decisions were made,” Mr. Khurshid said.
He admitted that following that decision, some steps were taken on which courts have raised “question marks. It is before the courts and let them decide,” he added.
To a question on laws to check corruption, he said the issue was not about laws but their implementation.
“The reason (for lack of implementation) is that it takes a lot of time in courts,” he said.
