Congress defends law minister

New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, facing fire for vetting a draft CBI report in the coal scam, meant only for the Supreme Court, should be given a chance to clarify his position, the Congress said Monday.

The Congress reaction came a day before the apex court is expected to make an observation in the matter.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had already ruled out Ashwani Kumar's resignation on the issue of accessing a Central Bureau of Investigation report on the coal scam.

"The law minister has said he will reply to a debate and clarify his position... but first a debate has to take place and he should be given a chance to clarify his position," Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit told reporters here.

"What he did was within his rights. There is no reason for us to doubt what he did was unconstitutional," he said.

Congress sources said a strong action against the law minister was unlikely if the apex court made only a light observation that he should not have done what he did, and that he should be more careful in the future.

"There is no question of the law minister resigning as the matter is sub-judice," the prime minister had said Saturday.

But the sources said they would like to wait till the observation of the apex court comes as what the judges speak through their order is more important.