By IANS,
New Delhi: Seeking to play down the controversial finance ministry note on 2G spectrum, the Congress Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party’s criticism of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reflected “frustrated outpouring of those who want to grab power by ulterior motives”.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the BJP had not accepted its defeat in two successive Lok Sabha polls and was making baseless allegations.
Backing the prime minister’s remarks made on his way back to the country from the UN that the opposition was getting prematurely restless, Singhvi said the BJP “had tried to cause instability (in the government) since it has lost power”.
He said the BJP had got “shocks” from its defeat in successive polls including the last round of assembly elections in April-May.
Singhvi sought to downplay the finance ministry note, saying it does not increase or decrease anyone’s guilt.
The note “does not create guilt or absolve somebody,” he said.
The note to the Prime Minister’s Office from the finance ministry headed by Pranab Mukherjee says that the airwaves could have auctioned in 2008 if Chidambaram, who was then the finance minister, had “stuck to his stand”.
Singhvi said “whatever was criminally liable (in 2G allocation) was over in 2008” and had been examined by court.
He said the main opposition party was trying to create “an ambience of uncertainity”.
Slamming the BJP over its comparing Chidambaram to jailed former communications minister A. Raja, Singhvi said the DMK leader faces charges of changing dates in respect of spectrum allocation.
“It is hollow nature of attack,” Singhvi said.
He said the BJP was making comments on Chidambaram when the the 2G spectrum case was subjudice.
He also denied BJP charges of dissension in the government on the note.
“It suits them to allege dissention to use self-serving adjectives. This is a party telling us about sulking,” Singhvi said, adding the BJP had faced dissenion in full public view when Uma Bharti walked out of party meeting chaired by L. K. Advani.
On the BJP charge of double standards by Central Bureau of Investigation, Singhvi said it was for the investigating agency to decide whom to question.
He said former finance minister Jaswant Singh had been questioned in relation of 2G spectrum allocation as he headed a Group of Ministers during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rule and the agency wanted to understand working and structure of the ministerial panel.
He also attacked the BJP over its allegations in cash-for-vots scam, saying that the opposition party was levelling against the Congress “without a shred of evidence”.