By IANS,
New Delhi: Rejecting Team Anna members’ allegations against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on allocation of coal blocks, the Prime Minister’s Office has refused to accept the demand for an independent probe, saying the manner in which “loose” allegations have been levelled was not acceptable.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy wrote a letter to social activist Anna Hazare Friday that allegations against the prime minister were based on a leaked draft report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and reports in the media.
“You have not produced proof in support of the allegations and have said yourself that you were not making the allegations. The policy adopted in allocation of coal blocks and procedures adopted have been made available on the website of coal ministry,” Narayansamy said.
The letter, which was released Saturday, was in response to Team Anna’s letter of May 26 in which it charged Manmohan Singh and 14 cabinet ministers of “massive corruption” and asked for independent probe.
Besides Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna also figured in the 79-page document prepared by Team Anna alleging their involvement in corruption.
Narayanasamy said the government had looked into the Team Anna’s demand for an independent probe by a special team into the allegations against the prime minister.
“Keeping in view that there is enough legal and constitutional structure available to look and act on issues raised by you, your demand (for probe by special team) cannot be accepted,” Narayanasamy said.
Manmohan Singh was in charge of the coal portfolio from November 2006 to May 2009.
Narayanasamy said the style of Team Anna’s letter and “long and loose” allegations in it were not acceptable.
“I have regret to say that your statement that country’s highest institutions such as the Supreme Court, high court, CAG etc. had made allegations (against the ministers) from time to time is not only unclear but is not worth being accepted,” Narayanasamy said.