Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday in his distinctive humility admitted his responsibility in case of Chief Vigilance Commissioner’s appointment controversy.
He was responding to a pointed query in the press conference as in case of 2G spectrum and other scams, he had hinted at coalition compulsions yet in case of appointment of the CVC, who misled him or what was his compulsion.
“I don’t think it’s related to the compulsions of coalition. I’ve already said that I respect the judgment of the Supreme Court. Since the Supreme Court has pronounced it and I, as a loyal, law abiding citizen of the country, accept and respect its verdict. And I accept my responsibility.”
In yet another related query as when he will make a statement in Parliament on this account and what will be the future course of action, he asserted that he should speak to Parliament first, yet in the same breath mentioned, “But I’ve not made up my mind. The issue being raised is important and it is necessary to ensure that such thing don’t happen in the future.”
Earlier at Jagti township at Nagrota, the Prime Minister handed over the keys of two-room tenements to 12 Kashmiri Pandit (KP) migrants out of them also included one Vinod Kumar, the lone survivor of Wandhama massacre of January 25, 1998. Vinod was 14-year old, when his whole family was massacred in Wandhama.
***
‘Nobody can veto J&K roadmap’
SHUCHISMITA
JAMMU
March 4: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday maintained that the separatists could not be given a veto vis-à-vis the political roadmap to Kashmir dispute yet also asserted that the arbitrary arrests were not consistent with the norms of civilised governments.
He was replying to media queries at the airport before flying to New Delhi.
Exuding hope that the separatists too will soon be part of a dialogue process to find a solution to the Kashmir dispute, he however, clarified that even the separatists, who have refused to be part of the dialogue so far, could not veto the political roadmap. “I don’t think anybody should have a veto. We welcome the cooperation and involvement of all sections of public opinion, including those who are not part of the mainstream politics. But I don’t think we should give any group a veto on the outcome of the dialogue,” he asserted. Regarding the spate of arbitrary arrests in the Valley, Dr Singh said, “As far as arbitrary arrests are concerned, I’ve no hesitation in saying that such arbitrary arrests should not take place. I’m not sure and if they’re taking place, I’ll talk to the chief minister, who is sitting here with me. Yet I’ve no hesitation in saying that arbitrary arrests are not consistent with the norms of civilised governments that we are.”