I have nothing to hide: PM

Guilty in 2G scam will not be spared, asserts Manmohan

Addressing the Congress plenary on Monday, Singh went into a rhetoric on corruption and assured the nation that no one found guilty by the probe into 2G scam and Commonwealth Games misappropriation would be spared.

Indirectly referring to Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, whom the BJP high command allowed to continue despite serious charges of corruption, Singh said: “We are not like some Opposition parties, which insist on retaining their tainted CMs despite scandal after scandal.”

“It is my promise that no guilty person will be spared whether he be a political leader or a government official and whichever party he may belong to and however powerful he may be,” he said. Earlier, Singh spoke at length for the first time on the issue over the principal Opposition party’s “propagation” that the United Progressive Alliance  government was against the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on 2G scam, as it did not want the prime minister to be questioned by the panel implying that he has something to hide.

“I wish to state categorically that I have nothing to hide from the public at large and as a proof of my bona fides, I intend to write to the chairman of the PAC that I shall be happy to appear before the PAC if it chooses  to ask me to do so.

“As prime minister of this great country for six and a half years, I have tried to serve my country to be best of my ability. I sincerely believe that, like Ceaser’s wife, the prime minister should be above suspicion and it is for this reason that I am prepared to appear before the PAC even though there is no precedent to that effect,” Singh said.

The Opposition had stalled the winter session of Parliament demanding a JPC probe.
Now,  the PAC, which is headed by BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi, is conducting the inquiry into the scam.

“The PAC has all the powers, which can be given to a JPC and the PAC is the acknowledged watchdog of any financial impropriety or misconduct. The government is obliged to take action on the recommendations of  the PAC.

JPC’s purpose

The government is of the considered view that in the background of multifaceted action now in place, no purpose will be served by a JPC except to delay the inquiry and politicise the matter,” the prime minister  said.

He remarked that the AICC plenary was taking place at a time when various charges were being levelled against the Congress and the Centre, and its objectives suspected.
“Our record is being questioned for partisan political ends. It is being alleged that we are not being sufficiently sensitive to the issue of corruption. On this count, I want to make our government’s and party’s stand clear. Whether at the Centre or in the states, we  have asked our ministers and chief ministers to step down merely on the basis of suspicion because we practice and believe in principled politics,” he said.