No differences in cabinet, says Antony

Sep 27, 2011 |

IANS

New Delhi

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Antony - in front of the Super Hercules aircraft at Hindan - Reuters_2.jpg.crop_display.jpg

Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Tuesday said there were 'no differences' in the cabinet in the wake of the finance ministry note on Home Minister P. Chidambaram's role in 2G spectrum allocation, adding that the ministers worked as a team.

Antony made these remarks in response to a question whether the perceived tussle between Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Chidambaram had any adverse impact on decision making in the cabinet and in the all-important Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

"There is no single instance of differences. We are working as a team," the defence minister said at a press meet here.

"All major decisions are taken by the cabinet as a whole. In all security related matters, decision is taken by the CCS. In that there is no doubt. Matters are discussed, debated and an unanimous decision is taken at last," he said.

The March 25 note to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) from the finance ministry says that the airwaves could have been auctioned in 2008 if Chidambaram, who was then the finance minister, had "stuck to his stand".

In the note, the finance ministry says Chidambaram could have prevented spectrum from being given away at throwaway prices by insisting on its auction -- implying that presumptive losses worth thousands of crores of rupees could have thus been avoided.

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