Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi visited former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in Tihar jail on Monday, said the whole system would collapse if Ministers were penalised for approving mere recommendations.
Accompanied by Mr. Chidambaram’s son and Congress Lok Sabha member Karti Chidambaram, the visit is meant to signal that the Congress is ready to politically take on the Narendra Modi-led government over corruption charges filed against party leaders.
Dr. Singh, in a statement, said, “No decision can be taken by any single person. All decisions are collective, recorded in files... Minister Chidambaram approved the unanimous recommendation.” The former Prime Minister said, “The whole system will collapse if a Minister is liable for approving merely a recommendation.”
For Ms. Gandhi, after 1978 when former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was lodged in Tihar jail by the then Janata government, Monday’s visit was only the second time when she visited the jail.
Mr. Chidambaram has been in jail under judicial custody since September 5, facing corruption charges in the INX Media case.
He was arrested on August 21 and initially kept at the Central Bureau of Investigation headquarters.
The Congress has termed the charges against the former Finance Minister a “paramount example of political vendetta.”
“Ms. Gandhi has always been supporting my father. She reiterated that to him personally,” Mr. Karti told The Hindu after the meeting and added, “My father and my family are grateful to Ms. Gandhi and Dr. Singh for visiting and extending their support to him. It is a big boost to us.”
“I have asked my family to tweet on my behalf the following: I am honoured that Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh called on me today. As long as the @INCIndia party is strong and brave, I will also be strong and brave,” Mr. Chidambaram’s official handle tweeted after his meeting.
The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate had accused Mr. Chidambaram of receiving kickbacks from INX Media promoters — Peter Mukherjea and his wife, Indrani — to allow foreign investments.
Denying any wrong doing, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel visited Mr. Chidambaram last week in a show of solidarity.
