Opp. asks for PM response, govt to reply in court today

Nov 18, 2010 - Age Correspondents |

New Delhi

The Opposition parties, including the BJP and the CPI(M), on Wednesday demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh respond publicly to the Supreme Court’s observations on his “alleged inaction and silence” on the petition to sanction the prosecution of former communications minister A. Raja in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Senior BJP leader L.K. Advani said Dr Singh should respond immediately to the court’s remarks Monday, saying it was the “first time” in independent India that the highest court had “pointed fingers” at the head of a Union government.
As the Opposition pressure mounted, government sources said the charges against Dr Singh were not correct. The court had said the PM’s “silence” and “inaction” in giving permission for Mr Raja’s prosecution was “disturbing”. This permission had been sought by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy.
While the PMO did not say anything officially on Wednesday, there were that the government’s position will be made clear when the case comes up again in the Supreme Court on Thursday. The sources said action was taken in the shape of the CAG audit report on spectrum allocation indicting the former telecom minister. Mr Raja resigned on Sunday.

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