PM pulls up Jairam,Cong too slams him

Home Minister P Chidambaram is also learnt to have written a letter to the Prime Minister,protesting Rameshs remarks.

In Beijing over the weekend to attend an international conference on climate change,Ramesh had said that New Delhi was unduly paranoid and alarmist about Chinese private companies investing in India.

He said the security establishment in India,a reference to the Home Ministry,was imagining demons where there are none and putting needless restrictions on Chinese investments. This approach,he added,was adversely affecting the bonhomie that the two countries created by closely collaborating in the international climate change negotiations.

Realising that he had courted trouble,Ramesh,who returned late last night,sent a written note to Congress president Sonia Gandhi explaining the context in which he made his remarks in Beijing. But the party was not impressed.

The Prime Minister and his office have already clarified that it is not appreciated that ministers comment on other departments and other ministries and subjects,especially when they are on foreign soil. We have no hesitation in endorsing this statement, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told reporters.

In fact,we want to extend this further. Even domestically,there cannot be any occasion to question other ministries or air differences in public. There are enough forums,within the cabinet and the party,where all kinds of views can be expressed, Singhvi said.

Sources said there were a number of reasons because of which the Prime Minister was very upset with Rameshs remarks. Not only had he spoken out of turn,he had questioned governments policies from a foreign soil. Then,he pushed the case of a specific Chinese telecom company,opening himself to the charge that he was lobbying for corporate interests.

Ramesh also violated a recent circular that asked ministers not to comment about the functioning of other ministries. In addition,there was a feeling that his comments,especially those relating to India having bailed out China at Copenhagen climate change summit,were casual in nature and could adversely impact relations with Beijing.

The Home Ministry reiterated its position that there was no discrimination against Chinese companies.

I would only like to state that China is Indias largest trading partner. The total volume of trade is 38 billion dollars between the two countries. The balance of trade is in favour of China by over 24 billion dollars every year. Therefore,there can be no cause for stating that there is any discrimination against Chinese companies, Home Secretary G K Pillai said.

In so far as national security is concerned,our policy is to ensure that national security interests are protected and in every case,irrespective of the foreign country involved,where national security interests are concerned the government does take policy decisions on a case-to-case basis and there is no discrimination against Chinese companies at all, he said.

Chinese telecom firms to meet Pillai

NEW DELHI: Some Chinese telecom companies are slated to meet Home Secretary G K Pillai on Wednesday to clear the air about the safety of their equipments. The Chinese Ambassador is also scheduled to meet the Home Secretary later this week. The government has asked all telecom operators in the country to avoid buying equipment from certain companies,especially if they are to be installed near border areas.