Pranab meets PM; calls Chidambaram a "valued colleague"

From Yoshita Singh and V S Chandrasekar
New York, Sep 25 (PTI) Indian Finance Minister Pranab
Mukherjee 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 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.
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...oppositions's job. What else will the
opposition do?"
Mukherjee told the waiting media that since all of them
wanted to meet him Saturday and that he was a bit rude, he
thought he would interact with them Sunday but quickly
hastened to add "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 Monday 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."