Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said he is “worried” about the future of the parliamentary system in the wake of a complete washout of the winter session of Parliament on the 2G spectrum issue.
Expressing the hope that reason will prevail over Opposition, he said the government has repeatedly told them that existing mechanisms can do what a Joint Parliamentary Committee can do.
“I am worried about the future of the parliamentary system. I hope reason will prevail,” Dr Singhsaid.
“I am sad that Parliament was not allowed to function. We told the Opposition repeatedly that existing mechanisms can do what a JPC can do,” the Prime Minister said when asked about the deadlock in Parliament since November 10 a day after the Winter Session began.
Initially asked when he would break his silence on the issue, his response was “in due course”.
About the Opposition criticism that he was abroad when so many important issues had to be dealt with urgently at home, Dr Singh said: “These are all pre-fixed appointments. If we don’t keep it who will take us seriously? Anyway not much is happening (in Parliament).”
***
Raja meets karuna over 2G
AGE CORRESPONDENT
CHENNAI
Dec. 11: Three days after the CBI raided the premises of his residence in connection with the spectrum scam, beleaguered former communications minister A. Raja on Saturday called on his party president and chief minister M. Karunanidhi at his residence.
Both were closetted for some time at the Gopalapuram residence of chief minister Karunanidhi and sources close to Mr Raja describe the meeting as a smooth one.
A close confidante of the CM, Mr Raja flies every weekend to Chennai and spends several hours with him from morning to evening. This is the first meeting between the two after Mr Raja quit as communications and IT minister in the face of allegations about his involvement in the 2G spectrum scam.
However, Mr Raja did not accompany the CM at the Muslim League conference in Tambaram.