2G note just a summary by a junior official, not a cause for concern: Khurshid

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Commenting on the note sent by the Finance Ministry to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on 2G spectrum, Union Law and Justice Minister Salman Khurshid on Monday said it was just a summary by a junior official and not a cause for concern.

Talking to reporters here, Khurshid said: “I have seen the note. I don't think there is any such big issue in it for which we should express concern.”

"It is a summary and in summary, sometimes a person goes beyond and gives his opinion. What is the importance of this opinion, we shall see when we discuss," Khurshid added.

Hectic day of negotiations

Khurshid's assurance comes as Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee returned home today from his US trip against the backdrop of the controversy.

Mukherjee, who is likely to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi on the issue, refused to speak to the media waiting at the Delhi International Airport.

"Whatever I had to say, I said yesterday. I have nothing to add," a visibly-upset Mukherjee told reporters. He said a full-fledged press conference will be held after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returns from his visit to New York tomorrow.

Note trouble for Chidambaram

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram came under fire after the 14-page note, prepared by the Finance Ministry and seen by Pranab Mukherjee, suggested that Chidambaram could have acted more stridently in 2008 on the spectrum pricing issue, when he was the country's Finance Minister.

The note, which relied heavily on technicalities; says Chidambaram could have 'stuck to the stand' of an auction of the highly valuable spectrum.

The note added: "It may be mentioned that while the UAS licenses were signed between February 27 and March 7, 2008, spectrum allocations were done starting only in April, 2008, almost four months after the LoIs were issued. However, these were not charged (beyond the normal spectrum usage charges) since there was consensus, at the levels of the Ministers concerned, that spectrum beyond the 'start up' levels only should be charged."

The note came into the public domain under the Right to Information (RTI) Act petition filed by Vivek Garg, a prominent activist.

'I have more such notes'