The Government has rubbished allegations against cabinet ministers by Team Anna. It also rejected demands of Team Anna to set up a Special Investigation Team to probe allegations of corruption against cabinet ministers and establishing fast-track courts to hear charges against them.Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, PMO, V Narayanasamy, said, present system is sufficient to deal with such issues. Responding to a letter by Anna Hazare to the Prime Minister last month, the PMO said the activist has not submitted any proof regarding the corruption charges against Manmohan Singh in coal block allocation. The Minister said in the letter to Hazare, apparently the allegations were levelled based on the leaked draft of a CAG report and media reports. The minister also said the government has considered his demand for a SIT and the suggested terms of reference.
Maintaining that the UPA government has not at all interfered with functioning of agencies like Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the PMO said Hazare's impression about CBI and its unctioning is wrong. Narayanasamy said,when the report is tabled, the government will present its response before the PAC on the subject as per the Constitutional process adding that CVC has already directed the CBI to hold preliminary inquiry based on a complaint lodged by an MP in this regard.
The PMO also rejected Hazare's contention that the Supreme Court, High Courts and CAG had on several occasions have charged the ministers with wrong doings. ” He said in a bid to bring more integrity in government functioning, the government has incorporated suggestions received from various sections of the society. He asserted that the government is committed to reduce corruption and bring more transparency. The government is also committed to ensure that such a situation does not arise when civil servants refuse to take decisions fearing baseless allegations. The Minister opined, it will slow down the pace of development. Referring to Hazare's allegations that the government has scuttled CBI probe against SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav, Narayanasamy said it is not only unfair to make such charges against the government, CBI and Yadav, but also an insult to the justice delivery system.
Hazare and his close aides had sought setting up of an independent SIT comprising three retired judges to probe the graft charges. In the letter, they had demanded that the SIT should investigate charges against the 15 corrupt ministers.
