Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the first time after the 2G note controversy erupted but refused to speak on the issue, saying the matter is sub judice and he would first speak to ‘valued colleague’ P. Chidambaram and other leaders.
After his nearly hour-long meeting with Singh at the New York Palace Hotel where Prime Minister is staying, Mukherjee said: "It would not be proper on my part to make any comment on that issue."
He was asked about the controversial note, prepared by a Finance Ministry official suggesting that the 2G scam could have been averted had the Finance Ministry then headed by Chidambaram insisted on the auction route instead of 2001 price for allotment of spectrum.
The Finance Minister began his comments on the 2G note saying, "I am sorry. I cannot make any comment on it."
Mukherjee said: "Unless I talk to the Law Minister, unless I talk to to Chidambaram, who is our valued colleague, unless I talk to other party leaders and I go through all the relevant papers, what comments I will make and why should I make a comment on domestic issues outside India."
The Finance Minister's cryptic comments came on a flurry of questions by journalists on the unusual meeting that took place after he flew out of Washington for New York hours before his scheduled departure.
"I am not a fugitive. I am not leaving the country for all time to come. Therefore what I can say, what is permissible for me to say as the matter is sub judice. I am not a lawyer. I shall have to take expert opinion on it," he said.
Mukherjee, who was in Washington for IMF and World Bank meetings, said he has not cut short his visit nor cancelled any of his meetings.
"I spent almost one hour with him (Prime Minister)," the Minister said adding that he had briefed Singh on his interactions with leaders from America and Europe.
The Finance Minister, who will return to Delhi tomorrow, said he would be leaving for Kolkata soon after and hence he wanted to brief the Prime Minister.
When asked about the Finance Ministry's note, Mukherjee said that except for newspaper clippings, "I have no information and there I find it is a matter which has been produced...a piece of paper, a note from the Finance Ministry to PMO has been obtained through RTI and placed in court."
Told that the Opposition was making an issue of the note, he said: "It is their...opposition’s job. What else will the opposition do?"
Mukherjee told the waiting media that since all of them wanted to meet him yesterday and that he was a bit rude, he thought he would interact with them today but quickly hastened to added: "I am not going to give you any earthshaking news."
Pressed further by a TV journalist, the Minister shot back saying, "I am not here to satisfy your infinite inquisitiveness...I am sorry what you wanted to know I could not give it, but I can't help."
Besides meeting his ministerial colleagues, Mukherjee said the legal implications would also have to be found out. Mukherjee said he had wished the Prime Minister for his birthday tomorrow and presented a bouquet. Ever since the Finance Ministry note surfaced, the Opposition parties have been baying for Chidambaram's blood. On Thursday, the Prime Minister had fully backed Chidambaram and ruled out any infighting among the ministers.
"I don't know what note you are talking about. The whole 2G matter is before the court. I don't want to comment on a matter that is subjudice", he had told journalists accompanying him from Frankfurt to New York.
"As far as Mr P. Chidambaram is concerned, as Finance Minister, he had enjoyed my full confidence and as Home Minister he continues to enjoy and inspire my full confidence," he had said.
Asked whether he will back Mukherjee like Chidambaram, Singh had replied: "Of course all my ministers. They are I think ministers who enjoy my confidence in full."
