I have never had any difficulty while dealing with the Finance Minister or any other cabinet minister. But if you expect things to be done in a day or two, there is a problem. Our system is such you cannot immediately act upon a decision. Things have to be conceptualised. Then they have to be left to the administration for implementation. The process takes time. If things are not done in the right manner, you will land up in a soup later on. But I have never had any problem in getting anything done. People are not acquainted with our plans, policies and projects to strengthen the intelligence agencies, modernise them, provide better transport and communication facilities. These moves have been going on for several years. It is only once you know these details that you will be in a position to question whether we are doing enough. The media doesn’t have the time to understand all the details and we don’t have the time to explain it all. Thus, a communication gap is created, leading to criticism from many quarters.

•Shekhar Gupta: There has been a breakthrough in the recent blasts that ties everything to one group. Are you confident that this breakthrough is genuine—allegations that the Jamia Nagar encounter in Delhi is fake have led to demands for a judicial inquiry?

The current breakthrough is a good success but we need to do more. As for Jamia Nagar, at this stage, I cannot say whether I have any doubts or not. You have to examine the evidence before coming to a conclusion. It is our duty though to convince people that we would not take an unjust stand. I have never said that what the police did was wrong or right. The executive cannot pass a judgment. You cannot expect me to say whether it was fake or not for it will be interpreted in different ways. However, people make demands without understanding things. A judicial inquiry takes up to five years and even after that you cannot punish someone on the basis of that inquiry. An investigation, filing a charge sheet and the court’s judgment together can take up to 10 years. There is an investigation in progress and the matter will be transferred to the court. If the court says it is wrong, then the people who have done it will be held responsible.

... contd.