New Delhi: Congress on Monday found itself on a sticky wicket on the faux pas by External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, controversial remarks by Home Minister P Chidambaram and a party MP accusing a Supreme Court judge of corruption.
"What more I can say about it. Minister of External Affairs has already explained this. I do not think party has at this stage anything to add or subtract," party spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters when asked about Krishna reading the speech of his Portuguese counterpart at the UN.
Tewari also steered clear of Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement that there was indeed a governance deficit in some areas.
"If Home Minister has said something while giving reply to a question in some context during an interview, it is better that this question should be asked to him because it was his interview," Tewari said.
Against the backdrop of a rash of scandals, Home Minister P Chidambaram has said there is indeed a governance and ethical deficit in some areas but to conclude that they have surfaced only now will be totally wrong.
In an interview to the 'Wall Street Journal' daily, he said, "I think we should take serious note of the concerns expressed by the captains of industry and business. There is indeed a governance deficit in some areas and perhaps there is also an ethical deficit."
The Congress spokesperson also refused to comment on the charge by a party MP in Kerala K Sudhakaran that an apex court judge was allegedly bribed several years ago saying it is an "issue between him and the institution he addressed".
"If at all an MP has made those observation, it is an issue between him and the institution he has addressed. I do not think it is appropriate for the Congress to comment on it," he said with a caveat "we have the highest regards for all institutions and especially the judiciary."
He, however, refused to answer repeated queries on whether any action would be taken against the MP saying "my answer says it all."
The party also adopted the same play safe strategy on the issue of the detention of Pakistani singer Rahat Fatheh Ali Khan in connection with alleged seizure of a huge amount of foreign currency.
"A probe is going on. I do not think anybody should comment on it when probe is on. It should be allowed to be completed," Tewari said.
Tewari parried questions on whether the party is trying to rope in Vijaykant-led DMDK in Tamil Nadu saying unnecessary speculation is not required when there is already a mechanism in place discuss seat sharing between Congress and DMK and interactions in this regard are under way.
On RSS demanding a probe of alleged conspiracy to kill its leaders, Tewari said, “If RSS is a responsible organisation, it will be better if they cooperate in probe and do not try to blur the issue by saying this or that."
Comments
0 comment