Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during an interaction with the editors of TV channels at his 7, Race Course Road residence in New

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday scotched speculation about his resignation against the backdrop of surfacing of various scams during the tenure of the UPA-II government, saying he would complete his full term. He said his government was not a lame-duck one, nor was he a lame-duck Prime Minister, and that he would restructure the Union Cabinet after the Budget Session of Parliament.

Prime Minister Singh also said he was not afraid of appearing before any committee, including a JPC, on the 2G scam and criticised the Opposition, especially the BJP, for not allowing Parliament to function, taking a hostile view and being unwilling to cooperate with the path-breaking reforms of the government.
He was interacting with the media ahead of the Budget Session though he could have used the forum of Parliament to put the record straight on scams and remove speculation that he would quit halfway. But he preferred the press conference option and defended himself after realising that even the UPA constituents are on the defensive on this issue.
“I am conscious of personal responsibility, I feel about it (sic). 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 the context that no single party has emerged to rule by itself,” he said in response to one question. On the re-induction of Mr A. Raja despite complaints, he said in a coalition the question of who to induct from a coalition partner was not in his hands. “You cannot suggest your preferences, you have to go by the choice of the leader of the party. Raja and Dayanidhi Maran were the choice of the DMK and I had no reason to feel that anything seriously wrong had 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 benefited and some who had not benefited adequately. I was not in a position to make up my mind about Raja,” he said.
His strained relations with the Opposition, especially the BJP, became clear when he blamed the Opposition for not cooperating with the government on “path-breaking reforms” like the goods and services tax. The Opposition, “particularly the BJP, has taken a very hostile attitude, and the reasons that have been given, frankly, I cannot mention it in public. They say because you have taken some decision against a particular person who was a minister in Gujarat, we must reverse it. I don’t want to add (anything) further,” he said and added that he has “not been able to understand” the reasons for which Parliament was not allowed to function in the Winter Session.
During his 70-minute interaction with editors of TV channels, he responded to all questions, making clear that his government is dead serious about bringing to book “all wrongdoers, regardless of the position they occupy”.
“I never felt like resigning, I have a job to do. I never thought of giving up halfway,” he said. “The country voted our party to be the leader of the UPA coalition and we have a lot of unfinished tasks to be accomplished. I have never thought of giving up halfway. I will stay the course. I never thought of resigning,” he said.
To a specific question on whether he would be ready to be projected as a candidate for Prime Minister in the next elections, Dr 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 will be the prime ministerial candidate.”
He was asked whether he was feeling bad at the occurrence of certain embarrassing things that 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 the academic world to the political world. This process of learning, I relish that,” he replied.
When told that he was an honest PM surrounded by a dishonest administration and that a sense of drift prevailed, he said there would be a restructuring of the Union Cabinet after the Budget Session. “I will get back to the exercise once the Budget Session is over,” he said.
Asked whether the rash of scams has affected India’s image globally, Dr Singh said, “It is the sort of atmosphere that saps our confidence. Our image is affected. I urge each one of you (the 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 opinions. But in our reporting on the country’s affairs, we should deal with facts as objectively as possible,” he said.
Asked whether the government would agree to a JPC on the 2G scam, he said, “Full efforts are being undertaken to see that some way will be found (to ensure that Parliament functions). I hope it will happen.” When a questioner asked whether he was ready for a JPC, and whether it was not being formed because he was reluctant to appear before it, he said, “My position is that I am not afraid of appearing before any committee. The PAC is a joint parliamentary committee, presided over a senior member of the Opposition. I am fully prepared to appear before any committee, including a JPC. It is entirely wrong for the impression to go that I was the one blocking it because I am afraid of appearing before it. My conduct as a Prime Minister must be like Caesar’s wife, above suspicion, and I am quite prepared to appear before any committee that may go into this,” he said.
He also referred to his earlier remarks, made during the Congress plenary in December last year, in which he had offered to appear before the PAC if required. “The PAC is a giant committee presided over by a very senior leader of the Opposition and I have publicly declared my willingness to appear before it,” Dr Singh said.
Asked what was his biggest regret in UPA-II, Dr Singh said, “These irregularities have happened. They should not have happened. I am not very happy about these developments.”
To another question, he replied, “Main yeh nahin keh sakta ki mujhse kabhi koi galti nahin hui hai lekin main itna culprit nahin hoon jitna dikhaya ja raha hai (I don’t say I have never made any mistake. But I am not as big a culprit as being made out).” “Mujhe apne jimmewari ka ehsaas hai (I am conscious of my responsibilities),” he replied to a question on whether he would accept personal responsibility as head of the government for whatever has happened in the government.
On the controversial deal between Antrix, the commercial arm of Isro, and the private firm Devas for allocation of S-band spectrum, the PM said the deal has not been operationalised and the Cabinet Committee on Security would soon take a decision on terminating it, a decision which was taken on July 2 last year. He also rebutted reports that the PMO was involved in back-channel discussions as late as November last year with Devas even though a decision had been taken to terminate the deal. “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 concerns were expressed on allocation of 2G spectrum but he did not press for an auction after the ministries of telecom and finance agreed to go with the prevailing practice of not auctioning spectrum, which was also supported by expert bodies like Trai and the Telecom Commission.
To a question on the delay in the probe into the CWG scam, which he had promised would be completed within 90 days, the PM said, “We are trying out best. But we will have to go according to the due process of law. It is very frustrating that it takes time. But this time the culprits will not escape.”
Asked about the possibility of winning in Tamil Nadu, Dr Singh said he was not an astrologer but hastened to add that he hoped the ruling coalition would win. He was, however, very confident about the party’s poll prospects in Left-ruled Kerala as well as in Assam, where the Congress has been in power for the last two terms.
“The Left is no longer our alliance partner,” was his terse comment when asked about the possibility of re-aligning with the Left parties. He said the UPA has not given up its economic agenda and promised clear measures in the upcoming Budget.
“With regard to corruption in judiciary, corruption in any walk of life, whether it is judiciary, executive, legislature, should be a matter of concern to all thinking people in our country,” he said and added “... therefore I am not second to anyone in saying that if there is corruption, whether it is in the judiciary, or in the executive, or in other walks of life, we must get rid of it.” His remarks came in response to a question on allegations of corruption against a former CJI.
In his opening remarks, the PM referred to the media exposes of various scams but asked the media not to create the image that India was a scam-driven country and nothing good was happening.