New Delhi: Opposition parties on Wednesday slammed
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his remark that "some
compromises" had to be made in running a coalition and called
as unfair and unacceptable his equating any 2-G Spectrum loss
with subsidy for fertilisers, diesel and foodgrains.
Reacting to the Prime Minister's remarks at an
interaction with TV editors, the principal opposition party
BJP accused Singh of trying to "cover up" the various scams
which has bedevilled his government and said "coalition
dharma" cannot mean supporting corruption.
"The Prime Minister's press conference was very
disappointing and shows his helplessness. Coalition dharma
cannot mean support to corruption. And coalition is related
only to 2-G.
What is the relation between coalition and the case of
ISRO (S-band allocation), Commonwealth Games and Adarsh
cases" BJP President Nitin Gadkari asked.
With Singh coming under attack for his remarks on
coalition politics, Official sources said the prime minister
had the issue of political management in mind when he said he
had to make "some compromises" to run a coalition.
Accusing the Prime Minister of trying to shield the
corrupt, Gadkari also said the comparison of the 2-G Spectrum
prices with subsidy for fertilisers, gas and oil, foodgrain is
unfair and maintained that 2-G spectrum allocation was not
subsidy but a way of making money.
DMK, a key UPA constituent, said Singh's comments on
coalition politics against the backdrop of the 2G scam
involving its leader and former Telecom Minister A Raja would
not affect its ties with Congress.
"I dont think so. He has not said anything wrong about
coalition," DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan told reporters in
Chennai when asked if Singh's comments on coalition would
affect the party's ties with Congress.
Elangovan said the Prime Minister had not accused the
coalition.
Flaying Singh for his comments on managing coalition
politics, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said it is better
to go to people's court than running such a coalition like
UPA.
"It will be always better to go to people's court
instead of running such a coalition which encourages
corruption and tries to break the country into pieces... and
then the people will return the person to power with massive
mandate," Kumar, a senior JD(U) leader and key BJP ally, said.
Left parties attacked the government for "loot" of
public money through the 2G spectrum allocation and other
scams and took the Prime Minister to task for equating any 2G
spectrum loss with subsidising foodgrains to the poor.
"On two vital issues confronting the nation and the
people, that is corruption and price rise, the Prime Minister
has virtually thrown up his hand saying nothing much can be
done. This is very unfortunate," CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury
told reporters.
"This is something that is completely unacceptable," he
said.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, February 16, 2011, 22:17