2G note: Pranab firefights, Chidambaram says he's happy with statement

Sep 29, 2011 |

Agencies

New Delhi

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Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said the controversial note on 2G spectrum sent by his ministry to the Prime Minister's Office had 'certain inferences' that did not 'reflect his views' and was a 'background paper'.

"Apart from factual background (there were) certain inferences which do not reflect my views," he told reporters in a brief statement outside his North Block office, accompanied by Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal.

Chidambaram said: "I am happy with the statement read by my distinguished colleague."

He said the matter is now closed.

Mukherjee had earlier met both Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The government also stepped up its efforts to end the row amid opposition's unrelenting attack on Chiddambaram.

A series of meeting began from early morning with Mukherjee calling on Sonia Gandhi.

Congress sources said the Congress chief, who had also held consultations with Defence Minister A.K. Antony and her political secretary Ahmed Patel, stressed on the need to end the controversy. The meetings were held at her 10 Janpath official residence.

The opposition has stepped up its attack on the government, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari alleging that all ministers were involved in the scam.

"The situation of the government is very bad. (Jailed former telecom minister A.) Raja has said in his affidavit that he did not take the decision alone. All senior ministers, including the then finance minister had agreed (on the spectrum pricing)," Gadkari told reporters.

The new twist in the 2G spectrum allocation came after a March 25 note to the Prime Minister's office (PMO) from the finance ministry surfaced stating that the airwaves could have been auctioned in 2008 if Chidambaram, who was then the finance minister, had 'stuck to his stand'.

The note led to speculation that Mukherjee and Chidambaram were at loggerheads on the controversial issue.

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