Chidambaram not culpable for anything: Govt on 2G verdict

Government on Saturday hailed the verdict of Delhi court dismissing a plea to make Home Minister P Chidambaram an accused in the 2G case, saying it vindicates its stand and also of the Congress party.

A number of senior ministers including Pranab Mukherjee, Kapil Sibal, Salman Khurshid and Ambika Soni said the government is clear that Chidambaram had no role in the matter and allegations against him were political.

"We always know that our colleague (Chidambaram) in Parliament and in government is absolutely not culpable for anything against...I know the evidence and shifted through the evidence and there is absolutely no responsibility that can be foisted on my colleague," Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said.

Terming it a "good judgment", Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters in Kolkata, "it is a relief because somebody was unnecessarily being prosecuted. Even in the judgement of the Supreme Court in the main cases it was clearly mentioned that advice of the Finance Ministry was not listened to. I welcome the judgement."

Sibal also said the apex court's verdict on the 2G issue also made it clear that Chidambaram was not culpable for anything.

He also attacked the opposition leaders saying that they were seeking to take political advantage and trying to influence the court.

The telecom minister alleged that some opposition leaders in Parliament were making "very ugly" statements that are not expected of responsible members.

Stating that the opposition leaders should reflect on the "irresponsible" manner in which they were making "scathing allegations" against his colleague, Sibal stressed Chidambaram was infact one colleague who had told Raja that he should have got a market discovery done on spectrum.

Sibal added "the court verdict has vindicated the stand of the Congress party and the government."

Expressing happiness over the judgment, Law Minister Salman Khurshid said it was a "relief" for the government. "...it is a relief, especially when it is a judgment coming from a court," he told reporters in Delhi.

Khurshid said he was "happy" for Chidambaram as well as the "system" after the judgement. The law minister termed his Cabinet colleague as an "important" and "significant" member of the UPA government.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni alleged that the petitioner did all this to keep himself in focus.

Sibal retorted back saying, "The petitioner will go to High Court and Supreme Court...he will appeal to God."

The telecom minister also took a dig at the media on the issue.

"I think the system has gone wrong. The way the TV channels have debates one day before the hearing as if they will tend to influence the hearing and direct in which the judiciary should go. This is something that has to be deprecated.

"Therefore all those institutions which are responsible for disseminating information should also reflect on the role they should play in the context of very serious cases before the court," he said.