‘Atmosphere is not good,saps our self-confidence spoils the image of India’

Couldn’t insist on 2G auctions

I listed a number of issues and I said to (Raja) that you must look into these issues and ensure that they are dealt with… He said,I have been absolutely transparent in my dealings…

As far as auction is concerned… he said the TRAI’s advice,Telecom Commission’s advice and his own view was that auctions are not the way forward,at least for 2G spectrum.

…The two ministries (Finance and Telecom) agreed that as far as 2G is concerned,we have to live with the present system… and also since TRAI is an expert body and Telecom Commission has experts,if all of them are of the same view,I did not feel I was in a position to insist (on) auctions…

I do not know,frankly speaking,what was the motivation of people who got spectrum but I know that as far as the basic policy is concerned,that I thought… was then the prevailing practice and Raja was continuing that policy.

Didn’t feel anything wrong

In a coalition government,you can suggest your preferences but you have to go by what the leader of that particular coalition party ultimately insists. And Mr Raja along with Mr Maran was the choice of the DMK. And as of that moment,I had no reason,frankly speaking,to feel that anything seriously wrong had been done.

Loss estimate depends on base

I am not in a position to say that there is a foolproof method in which one can determine the extent of the loss. It is very much a function of what is your starting point… We have a budget which gives subsidy for food,80,000 crores per annum,some people may say these foodgrains should be sold at market place. Will we say then because they are not sold at market prices,because you are giving them at a subsidy,it is a loss of 80,000 crores? I think the CAG himself has said that it is a presumptive loss.

Hostile BJP blocked reforms

There are difficulties when Parliament is not allowed to function,when the Opposition-led states for example do not wish to cooperate over pathbreaking reforms ushering in a single goods and services tax. The Opposition parties,particularly the BJP,have taken a hostile attitude and the reasons that have been given,frankly I cannot mention it in public,they say because you have taken some decision against a particular person,who was a minister in Gujarat,we must reverse it…

Not afraid to face JPC

I have publicly declared that I am willing to appear before the PAC. So I am not afraid of appearing before any committee including a JPC. And this is entirely a wrong impression that I was the one who was blocking the agreement about the JPC because I did not want to appear before the JPC.

Never thought of giving up

I think in a coalition government there is a coalition dharma,and obviously the things are not entirely the way I would like them to be,but quite frankly I have never felt like resigning because I have a job to do. The country voted our party to be the leader of the UPA coalition and we have a lot of unfinished business to accomplish and therefore I have never thought in terms of giving up halfway and I will stay the course.

No question of Egypt in India

Whatever happens in the Gulf or West Asia is a matter of concern to us… there is no question that the things that have happened in Egypt or in other Arab countries can be replicated in India.

Need Telangana consensus

I think this is a complicated issue and we are trying to evolve a consensus. The Home Minister had one round of meeting with all the political parties,he will call these political parties again…

Too early for PM-candidate

It is too early. We have still to go a long way. I have to complete this term. As far as the next term is concerned,it is too premature from me to speculate who will be the candidate.

Will get back to reshuffle

I have said that after the budget session of Parliament is over,there will be a restructuring — a reshuffle of the Cabinet. I hope and I think I will get back to the task once the budget session of Parliament is over.

Inflation hurts,safety net helps

Let me say that food inflation certainly hurts the poor… Now at the same time you must appreciate we have put in place a social safety net. The biggest is the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme… So I think,although the inflation does hurt,we have in place a social safety net which was not there six years before… and that does not mean that we should not work together to improve the situation.

Outside factors affect FDI

We are today functioning in an environment where what happens outside affects us. It is not easy to say that what happens to the fund flow is entirely a function of our policy.

No backroom talks on Devas

There have been no backroom talks. I think I have not met anybody myself and the decision of the Space Commission to annul the deal was taken on 2nd July,2010. Eventually it has been decided that the Government should take a sovereign policy decision regarding the utilisation of Space Band capacity which uses S-band spectrum having regard to the country’s strategic requirements… The fact is that the contract was not operational in any practical sense and there was no question of diluting in any way the recommendations of the Space Commission.

Lanka attitude unacceptable

I have been told that about 118 fishermen have been taken into custody. We take a very serious view. I think only earlier in this month,the Foreign Secretary (was sent) to make a strong demarche… This kind of behaviour is not acceptable among neighbouring countries.

Looking into corruption

Let me say that this sort of atmosphere is not good. It saps our self-confidence,it also spoils the image of India… A Group of Ministers is looking into all aspects of how to deal with corruption. Also it is not true that we have not dealt with the black money problem… We will take all possible measures to control this menace,to bring back to our country the money which is legally ours.

CWG: they won’t escape

We are trying our very best but we had to go through the due process of law… But you have my assurance that wrongdoers will not escape this time.

Shouldn’t have happened

It is a big regret that these irregularities have happened,these should not have happened.