Am not lame duck,dead serious on punishing scam wrongdoers: PM

Singh also said though he had conveyed his unease to Raja about 2G,he did not press further for auction after the Ministries of Telecom and Finance agreed to go by the prevailing system of first-come first-served. This decision was also supported by expert bodies like the TRAI and the Telecom Commission,he said.

The Prime Minister’s meet comes amid increasing clamour that he speak on scams that have tainted the second term of the UPA government.

The Prime Minister assured the country that his government was “dead serious” on bringing to book all wrongdoers “regardless of their positions” in the 2G spectrum,CWG,ISRO and Adarsh scams.

Singh defended himself on Wednesday against accusations his government was a lame duck,saying it was trying to bring justice in some of the country’s biggest corruption scandals in decades.

“Whatever some people may say,that we are a lame duck government,that I am a lame duck Prime Minister,we take our job very seriously. We are here to govern,and to govern effectively. Tackle the problems as they arise and get this country moving forward,” he said.

Still on 2G,Singh said the issue of licences were never brought before him or the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister asserted that he was “not afraid of appearing before any committee,including a JPC”. “I will be quite happy to appear before any committee,” he said.

“I have never felt like resigning. I will stay the course. I have a job to do. I never thought of giving up half-way,” he added.

About the re-induction of Raja despite complaints,he said in a coalition,it was not in his hands about whom to be inducted from a coalition partner. “You cannot suggest your preferences and you have to go by the choice of the leader of the party. “Raja and Dayanidhi Maran were the choice of DMK and I had no reason to feel that anything seriously wrong has been done. I did not feel that I had the authority to object to Raja’s entry although complaints were coming from some companies who were not benefitted and some who had not benefitted adequately. I was not in a position to make up my mind about Raja,” he said.

The Prime Minister said “in a coalition,there is a coalition dharma. Obviously,things are not entirely what I would like them to be.”

Singh admitted there are certain compulsions in coalition politics,“compromises have to be made”,but also assured that the coalition was strong and there was “no danger of inner tension leading to a break-up”. “Our allies are with us whole-heartedly,” he said.

“I don’t say I have never made any mistake. But I am not that big a culprit as being made out to be,” he said in reply to a question whether he would accept personal responsibility as head of the government for whatever has happened in the government.

“I am conscious about personal responsibility. I feel about it. My compulsion is that I have to bear a lot because we cannot have elections every six months. Some compromises have to be made in managing a coalition. A coalition government has to be viewed in a context that no single party has emerged to rule by itself,” he said.

Singh also said the UPA government was in talks with the Opposition to break the logjam in Parliament over 2G. “Parliament should be allowed to function,” he said.

On the controversial deal between Antrix,the commercial arm of ISRO and a private firm Devas for allocation of S-band spectrum,Singh said the deal has not been operationalised and the Cabinet Committee on Security would soon take a decision on terminating it,a decision on which was taken on July two last year.

He also rebutted reports that the PMO was involved in back channel discussions as late as November last year with Devas even as a decision was taken to terminate it.

“I have not talked to anybody… The PMO has not talked to anybody. The German Foreign Minister who had a meeting with me did not raise this issue.”

He said different departments including the Law Ministry have recommended termination of the contract but there were only procedural delays in implementing it.

To a specific question whether he would be ready to be projected as Prime Ministerial candidate in the next elections,Singh said: “It is too early. We still have a long way to go. I have to complete this term. It is too premature to speculate who would be the Prime Ministerial candidate.”

He was asked whether he was feeling bad as certain embarrassing things were happening which were not in tune with his nature.

“I have looked upon life as a learning and re-learning process. It has been a great educational experience from civil service to academic world to political world. This process of learning,I relish that”,he replied.

Asked whether the rash of scams has affected India’s image globally,Singh said “it is a sort of atmosphere that saps our confidence. Our image is affected. I urge each one of you (media) that while opinions are speculative,facts are sacred. The facts should not be distorted.”

“We owe it to our country that at least in dealing with facts,we should be as objective as possible. One can freely express their opinions. But in our reporting on country’s affairs,we should deal with facts as objectively as possible,” he said.

On corruption,he said a Group of Ministers has been set up under the leadership of Pranab Mukerjee to recommend ways to deal with the menace. It has been given 60 days time to give its report.

On black money stashed abroad,he said,”We will take all steps to bring all blackmoney that is legally ours.”

He said efforts are on to sign treaties with other countries to get information about black money abroad.

To a question on the delay in the probe into the Commonwealth games which he had promised to complete within 90 days,the Prime Minister said “we are trying out best. But we will have to do the due process of law”.

“It is very frustrating that it takes time. But this time the culprits will not escape,” he said.

In his opening remarks,the Prime Minister referred to the media expose of various scams including the Commonwealth Games,ISRO deal,Adarsh housing affairs but asked the media not to give an image that India was a scam-driven country and nothing good was happening.

He said that such an image would weaken the self-confidence of the people and it would not be in the interest of the country.

To a question what was his biggest regret in UPA-II,Singh said that “these irregularities have happened. They should not have happened. I am not very happy about these developments”.

To a question on Home Minister P Chidambaram’s comments on governance deficit,he admitted,”Obviously,some events have brought out the weaknesses in governance and processes,I think we need to improve the quality of governance. But that does not divide me and other members of the government.”

He rejected a questioner’s suggestion that his government was facing double-incumbency of attacks from the opposition and within the party.

“I do not get that impression (party not backing him). In a democracy,there are views and discussions and when decisions are taken,our party stands united in support of the government.

“I would like a cohesive party to support the government but I am not saying it is not happening,” he said.

Allegations the government may have lost up to $39 billion in revenues after firms were awarded telecoms deals at rock-bottom prices in return for kickbacks have rocked the ruling coalition and compounded India’s fragile investment climate.

The 78-year-old Singh has been under increasing pressure to stamp out on corruption and his decision-making appears to have been paralysed in his second term despite winning re-election with an increased majority.

The scandals have taken a heavy toll on Singh,concerned his legacy is transforming from one of being the founders of India’s economic boom to someone who did nothing to stop corruption or policy paralysis.

Singh may have hoped the current scandals would ebb. But an aggressive media,an assertive Supreme Court and an opposition tasting political blood have seen momentum into the corruption probes grow.

Policy making has also been in limbo since his re-election in 2009 as the government battles fires from inflation to graft scandals. Reforms like opening up retail and the financial sector to foreign investment have been put on the back burner.

The government appeared close to agreeing to a broad,cross-party investigation in the scandal,paving the way for Parliament to resume as normal for a February 21 budget session.

But there were few signs the Parliamentary session would lead to any more reform bills.

Some commentators say there could be a repeat of 1989,when Congress lost a general election due to the Bofors scandal over gun contracts involving close associates of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who were accused of taking bribes.