Manmohan in denial mode: BJP

Prime Minister had full knowledge of 2G affair, the files tell the story: Jaitley

BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley address a press conference in New Delhi, on Wednesday. They said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, instead of protecting Ministers, should be protecting the truth. Photo: V.V. Krishnan

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is not in touch with ground realities and there is danger of people losing confidence in him though he bravely continues to protect his Ministers, according to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“Instead of protecting Ministers, he should be protecting the truth,” Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday, reacting to Dr. Singh's comment on the 2G issue that he had “full confidence” in his Ministers, “I will protect my Ministers” and there were forces out “to destabilise the polity.”

Mr. Jaitley and his counterpart in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, jointly addressing the press, hit out at P. Chidambaram, who held the Finance portfolio in 2007-08.

The two BJP leaders, however, were reluctant to directly take on the Prime Minister, saying there was “not enough proof” as yet against him. They maintained that the Prime Minister was in the know of what was going on. “When we have proof that the pecuniary benefits also flowed to the Congress, then we will see,” Ms. Swaraj said.

Mr. Jaitley said, “The Prime Minister had full knowledge [of the 2G affair]. The files tell the story.” Even at the time of dilution of equity of companies that had got the licences, both Mr. Chidambaram and Mr. Raja met the Prime Minister and he was aware [of what was happening],” Mr. Jaitley insisted.

He said, “We do not need to destabilise the government, which is falling under the weight of its own contradictions and the liability of its image.”

Ms. Swaraj noted that Dr. Singh was quick to get the Ministers of ally DMK booked, but when it came to Congress Ministers, he was talking about protecting them.

“All the issues have emanated from the government, be it the CAG report or the Finance Ministry note of March 25, 2010. We have done nothing,” she said.

Leadership tussle

As for the BJP's own leadership tussle, the leaders said the party's Parliamentary Board would take a decision when the time came.

To a question on the RSS' role in selecting the party's prime ministerial candidate, they said: “It is your [the media's] perception [that the RSS has a role].”