New Delhi: After resignation of Law Minister Ashwani Kumar over Supreme Court`s critical observations in the coal scam, Congress on Wednesday said it showed the party is always "sensitive" to any adverse remarks of the apex court and takes cognizance of it.
"If the court makes any adverse remarks against anybody, then the remarks of the court should be respected. Congress is always sensitive to it. If the Supreme Court gives any adverse comment, Congress takes cognizance," party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told reporters.
He was replying to a question on whether Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will also put in his papers if the Supreme Court makes adverse comments against him as in the case of Kumar, who was forced to quit.
Repeatedly asked about what will happen to the Prime Minister in such a situation, a visibly annoyed Ahmed shot back "...I am telling you about the sensitivity of the government. Why are you naming certain posts and certain individuals…"
He nevertheless asserted "if the Supreme Court casts any adverse remarks against any individual, Congress is sensitive to the court`s observations."
Ahmed said Government`s "sensitivity" was also reflected when even without the Supreme Court giving any direction for the same it constituted a GoM to consider making a law to provide independence to CBI and ensure its functional autonomy.
He also pointed out to the resignation of Kumar and fellow ministerial colleague Pawan Kumar Bansal over the Railway bribery scandal as a case in point.
"This is UPA government`s sensitivity. We set up the GoM. The ministers quit," the Congress spokesperson said.
Ahmed also hit out at BJP for criticizing Government over the issue of CBI`s independence and reminded that the Supreme Court had way back in 1997, when NDA was in power, talked about the need to make CBI autonomous in Vineet Naraian case.
"BJP is a weird party. The court has given certain observations but not a judgement. We do respect the observations of the court. But it`s not that the Supreme Court has given such an observation for the first time.
"In 1998, the NDA government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee came to power and it remained in power for six years and two months. For this entire period, they were sitting idle on the apex court`s direction for CBI`s autonomy and now they are preaching from high pedestal," Ahmed said.
PTI
