Ministers-PSUs issue drenched in poll colours

With just a week left for Assembly elections in four states, the issue of six Central ministers and their handling of PSUs under their charg...

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With just a week left for Assembly elections in four states, the issue of six Central ministers and their handling of PSUs under their charge is turning into a slamming match between the BJP and Congress. Mentioning it an election rally in Jodhpur today, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee defended the six ministers and said they had a right to approach courts in the matter and file defamation suits.

Around the same time in New Delhi, Congress released ‘‘more details’’ on two of the ministers and reiterated its demand for the resignation of the six. Vajpayee attacked the Congress for ‘‘eroding the prestige of democracy’’ by making such ‘‘baseless allegations.’’ He said he had spoken to the Central Vigilance Commissioner and Cabinet Secretary and was told the allegations were not correct.

But the Congress, which on Friday named the six ministers and met President Kalam to seek his intervention, came out with details of two PSUs — MMTC and Coal India — and the manner in which they were being handled by their respective ministries.

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Congress chief spokesperson Jaipal Reddy accused the PM of attempts to ‘‘conceal vital truths behind bureaucratic technicalities.’’ He said the PM should ‘‘be transparent, and to this end, must order disclosure of the entire correspondence between the CVC and Government on the working of PSUs.’’

Reddy says since the matter did not involve Defence secrets, the PM must ‘‘make public the minutes of the special meeting that he had with the CVC… there’s no reason why the Government should not make it public.’’

‘‘The CVC has merely denied naming the ministers. It’s very important to note that he has not denied reports of political interference in working of PSUs. Nor has he denied adverse reference about the relationship between various ministries and their PSUs.’’

Reddy posed questions for Commerce Minister Arun Jaitley: ‘‘Whether he was a personal advocate of chairman and managing director of MMTC S D Kapoor in 1998? Whether Kapoor has been given two ad hoc extensions in 2003? Whether extensions were given inspite of the fact that the CVC recommended major penalty against Kapoor?’’ Reddy also attacked Coal Minister Karia Munda, saying ‘‘he got chairman and MD of Coal India, M K Sharma, suspended through a departmental inquiry and without clearance from the CVC. If a minister can get PSU chiefs suspended, what independence would they have?’’