'I am not afraid to appear before a JPC'

Defending his own position and that of the prime minister’s office (PMO), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today denied that he was resisting a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum scam.

During his interaction with TV editors, the PM said: “I am not afraid of appearing before any committee, including a JPC. It’s entirely wrong to say I’m the one who was blocking the way of a JPC.”

The PM also steered clear of any role of the PMO in the recent S-band scam involving Devas Multimedia and Isro’s commercial arm Antrix. “I haven’t met anyone on this issue and there are no backroom talks.”

After reading out the steps taken so far for the annulment of the controversial Devas-Antrix deal, he said: “There was absolutely no effort in the PMO to dilute the recommendations of the Space Commission (for the annulment).”

The PM, going through arguably the toughest period of his term, emphasised, “Our government is dead serious to bring to book all wrongdoers regardless of their position”. However, it cut little ice in the opposition camp. “We want to ask him how is the coalition dharma related to the alleged scam involving Isro, the corruption cases surrounding the Commonwealth Games and the Adarsh Housing Society. The PM is only trying to shield the corrupt,” said BJP President Nitin Gadkari.
 

SINGHSPEAK

On Antrix-Devas deal 
‘There have been no backroom talks on the issue of Devas. I have not met anybody myself’

On corruption in UPA-II
‘It would not be correct to say I have never made a mistake. But I am not as bad as I’m portrayed’

On 2G scam
‘If (telecom) auctions had not taken place, what is the way to calculate loss? I'm not sure’

On his performance
‘If I get 7 out of 10 decisions correct, the shareholders of any corporation would say: good job’

Retorting on the PM’s accusation that the Opposition was responsible for the stalemate in Parliament, the BJP said if he had agreed to a JPC, then the one-month period of the winter session would not have been wasted.

The PM defended his role in the 2G spectrum scam, saying “who gets spectrum..the first come first serve basis…all this was exclusively decided by the telecom minister”.

Responding to a question on the 90-day deadline he had set for the completion of the CWG probe, the Prime Minister replied: “We are trying our very best but we had to go through the due process of law. We are a country where the rule of law prevails. Sometimes, it is very frustrating. But I assure that the wrongdoers will not escape this time.”