Admitting that there might have been differences between him and former special envoy on Climate Change Shyam Saran, environment minister Jairam Ramesh today said bureaucracy cannot decide policies as it was ultimately the minister who had to face Parliament.
"The differences might have been over style or how one approaches the problem, but I was not aware of them. I am a political personality, he (Saran) is a bureaucrat," Ramesh said during an interaction with women journalists here.
"But ultimately I was sure of one thing that I have to answer questions in Parliament. So whatever I do or say I would ultimately have to go to Parliament. That is the reality," said adding, "we tried to work together as far as it was possible".
"It is my job to set the policy. Bureaucracy cannot dictate policies. They are consultants, they are part of us," he said adding, "I am not a rubber stamp to the bureaucracy".
On whether he approached the prime minister with these differences, he said, "Did I tell the prime minister that he (Saran) had to go? No. I did not even discuss the issue with the Prime Minister. I had nothing to do with his (Saran's) decision (to quit)".
Saran quit last week amid reports that his serious differences with Ramesh on the approach to climate change negotiations was a key factor behind the decision.
The minister said suggestions that he was on a different page than the Prime Minister on climate change was "absolutely bunkum".
Ramesh said there were no differences in what the prime minister was saying and what he was saying at any stage.
"If the Ministry of Environment and Forests is responsible for climate change then obviously the minister for environment and forests has to hold the truck, good or bad," he added.
