Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Highlights of PM's press conference on television

rime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh held a media roundtable with TV editors on Wednesday
 
Here are the major highlights of the interaction:
 
PM: Making efforts to ensure next session of Parliament will be orderly
PM: We are a functioning govt, not right say we have lame duck PM
PM: Talks have begun with ULFA, situation in J&K better
PM: Economy in good shape, growth rate at 8.5% this fiscal year
PM: We are not a scam driven country
 PM: Media playing a positive role
PM: Govt dead serious to bring to book all offenders
PM: Food inflation is a problem
PM: Growth rhythm must not be disturbed in dealing with inflation
PM: Prepared to deal with terror acts, Govt deserves some credit
PM: Should not create a situation such that the country loses its self confidence
PM: Internal security has been a worry
PM: Govt deserves some credit
PM: Media has drawn attention to 2G, CWG, Adarsh scams
PM:  Media playing positive role
PM : There are difficulties when Parliament is not functioning
PM: Cannot divulge what went on in the process of cabinet formation
PM: Corruption in any walk of life is a matter of grave concern
PM: Believe Congress party has good chance to return to power in Kerala
PM: At the time of Cabinet formation, thought Raja did nothing wrong
PM: Told Raja to look into many issues
PM: I wrote to Raja on Nov 2 2007, asked him to ensure fair play
PM: Raja wrote to me and assured transparency
PM: Auction not suggested by TRAI
PM: Thought Raja was innocent at the time of Cabinet formation
PM: Nation has to rethink how our Parliamentary institutions function
PM: I am not afraid of appearing before any committee
PM: Not afraid to appear before any committee including JPC
PM : Raja was nominated by the leader of his party
PM: In a coalition govt everything is not in my control
PM: Raja said auction would not give level playing field to all players
PM: Finance ministry, DoT agreed on existing 2G pricing
PM: First-come-first-serve policy not referred to me
PM: Raja was continuing with prevailing practice
PM : Never thought of resigning, will stay the full course
PM: We are a functioning govt, not right to say I am a lame duck PM
PM: Too premature to speculate on next term, have to finish this term
PM: Nobody should think I don't know my responsibilities
PM: Compulsions in coalition politics, need to compromise
PM: No backroom talks in ISRO-Devas deal, decision to scrap deal on 2 July
PM: Meetings did take place after July, but no further action by govt
PM: Difficult to assess 2G losses; no auction held, so no starting point
PM: Can't deny need to improve quality of governance
PM: I've made mistakes, but I'm not as big a culprit as made out to be
 
ON NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS OF SINGH'S GOVERNMENT
 
* Whatever some people may say, that we are a lame duck government, that I am a lame duck prime minister, we take our job very seriously, we are here to govern, and to govern effectively, tackle the problems as they arise and get this country moving forward.
 
* An impression has gone round that we are a scam-driven country and nothing good is happening in our country, that we are weakening the self-confidence of the people of India. I do not think that is in the interest of anyone in our country.
 
* This sort of atmosphere is not good. It saps our own self-confidence. It also spoils the image of India.
 
* I think (corruption scams) do bring out the weaknesses in the processes of governance, or you may call them ethical deficits. I don't deny that we need to improve the quality of governance. That's not a subject that divides me and other members of the cabinet.
 
ON RUMOURS OF SINGH'S RESIGNATION
 
* I never felt like resigning because I have a job to do. The country voted our party to be the leader of the coalition, and we have a lot of unfinished business to accomplish ... I will stay the course.
 
ON SINGH'S REFORM AGENDA
 
* We have not given up, we will persist. There are difficulties, particularly when parliament is not allowed to function. I think parliament is not able to perform its essential function, being a forum for legislation.
 
ON CORRUPTION SCANDALS
 
* I wish to assure you and I wish to assure the country as a whole, that our government is dead serious in bringing to book all the wrongdoers, regardless of their position they may occupy.
 
ON SINGH'S ROLE IN THE TELECOMS LICENCE SCANDAL
 
* As far as who gets licences, the first-come-first-served policy, how it is implemented, that was never discussed with me. Licences were not a matter which ever got referred to me or the cabinet. That was a decision exclusively of the telecoms ministry.
 
ON SINGH'S APPOINTMENT OF FORMER TELECOMS MINISTER ANDIMUTHU RAJA
 
* In a coalition government you can suggest your preferences but you have to go by what the leader of that coalition partner ultimately insists. Raja ... was the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party choice and at that moment I had no reason frankly speaking that anything seriously wrong had been done.
 
* I did not feel I had the authority to object to Mr Raja's entry because quite honestly in May 2009, although complaints were coming in, although complaints were coming from all sides, some from companies not benefitting (from the telecoms spectrum allocation) ... I was not in a position to make up my mind that anything seriously was wrong.
 
ON SINGH'S ROLE IN A SECOND SCANDAL OVER SPECTRUM ALLOCATION BY INDIA'S SPACE AGENCY
 
* There has been no effort in the prime minister's office to dilute the decision taken by the space commission.
 
ON THE STRENGTH OF SINGH'S COALITION
 
* Ours is a strong coalition. Our allies are as committed ... to this coalition government as anyone else. There is no danger there might be any inner tensions that may lead to the break up of this coalition. We are a strong government, we are a strong coalition.
 
ON THE NEXT PARLIAMENT SESSION
 
* India as a whole has to march forward. Parliament has not been allowed to function for reasons that I am not able to understand. But we are making an honest effort to ensure that the next session of parliament will be an orderly session.
 
* We have important legislation, apart from the budget, to put before parliament. And talks are going on with the opposition parties to ensure that whatever our differences, parliament should be able to function normally.
 
ON OPPOSITION DEMANDS FOR A PARLIAMENT PROBE
 
* I am not afraid of appearing before any committee, including a JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee). And this is an entirely wrong impression that I was the one blocking the agreement on a JPC.
 


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