Ambika Soni defends UPA-II in reply to Wipro chief's comments

Responding to Wipro chief Azim Premji’s comment that there was “complete absence of decision making" in the government, Information and Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni on Tuesday said, "Don't expect the government to react to comments made by public figures." It may have been his personal perception, she said, adding, “I cannot agree with that perception at all.”

However, she stressed, "His opinion matters as he's an eminent person." Soni said if the government feels that Premji's comments were not accurate, it may choose to make a comment later.

When asked about other corporate leaders who had expressed similar sentiments about inaction in the decision making process, Soni replied, "We cannot agree with the lack of governance issue." Admitting that people have expressed anguish and anger, she said, "The Prime Minister has already responded to these issues on several public platforms."

According to Soni, the government will take its schemes to their logical conclusion in the next two and a half years of the UPA II regime. "You may have noticed that the Cabinet has taken several concrete steps in the past few weeks."

The minister stressed that the government must be sensitive to the people's voice in a democracy. "Our government is not insensitive," she added.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari speaking to a television channel said, "There is absolutely no absence of decision making. The government has been taking decisions in national interest whether it is in international arena or domestic affairs, whether it concerns the economic policy of the country or social programmes”.

He added, "The UPA government is extremity pro-active. If Azim Premji does have any specific area of concern, he should flag it for the concern of the government."