Khurshid downplays 2G row involving Pranab and Chidambaram

New Delhi, Sep 26 (PTI) Indian Law Minister Salman
Khurshid Monday downplayed the row over the Finance ministry
note on Home Minister P Chidambaram's stand on 2G spectrum
issue, saying there is no scope for any worry in the document
and that inferences drawn out of it were "not correct".
Khurshid also said the note was not worth keeping the
media "preoccupied" the for a long time.
"I have seen the note. I don't think the note has
anything on which we should express worry," Khurshid said,
amid a controversy over the stand taken by Chidambaram when he
was the Finance Minister.
"Even if all parts of the note are believed to be
correct, I will say that the inferences drawn are not
correct," Khurshid told reporters
Khurshid, who made it clear that he was giving opinion in
his personal capacity and in the capacity of lawyer, claimed
that the matter was "not so big" as has been projected by the
media.
He said the media was giving unnecessary attention to the
note which, according to him, had "no meaning".
"I dont think the note should keep you (media)
preoccupied for such a long time," the Law Minister said.
To a question as to why Government was moving in
"circles" with Finance ministry blaming the Prime Ministers
Office for giving out the note under RTI, Khurshid replied,
"if we are moving in circles, then you (media) are running on
a treadmill."
Khurshid said the note was actually a "summary" prepared
by a official at the lower level.
"People give their opinion over and above the summary.
The importance of the opinion will be seen when the issue is
discussed," he said.
The March 25, 2011 document on allocation and pricing of
2G spectrum broadly suggests that the scam could have been
averted had Chidambaram insisted for auctioning the spectrum
instead of being sold on a first come, first served basis
during the tenure of former Telecom Minister A Raja.
Khurshid refrained from taking any further questions on
the 2G note and said he would be in a position to make any
further comments after the return of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee from abroad.
At one stage, Khurshid's attention was drawn towards
Monday's hearing in the court where Raja's counsel had
suggested that Chidambaram should be summoned to the court.
However, Khurshid made it clear that it was not correct
for him to reply as these were mere arguments of lawyers.
"We, in the government, do not respond to arguments
because they are of no consequences until the judge takes note
of it and issues any order," he said.