Former CAG Vinod Rai's remarks on the role of former prime minister Manmohan Singh in 2G and coal blocks allocations are "serious" and a "correct" picture is now emerging, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.
"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not have power in his hands, this is true. Power was with 10 Janpath. And that is why the picture that has emerged today is correct.
"And it is the responsibility of the (then) Prime Minister that so many back to back corruption cases happen and you say that I don't know anything, this can't be. So it is serious," Javadekar said.
The Information and Broadcasting minister said that Vinod Rai has been a very successful Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) who brought to the fore irregularities that were going on. He said there was corruption in CWG, while in 2G and coal scams, it was called "coalition corruption".
"About coal, I, myself had complained after which there was a CBI investigation and the reasons why they (coal blocks) were given to someone were not explained and why they were not given to others were also not explained," Javadekar said.
Former CAG Vinod Rai, who is writing a book on his days as head of Comptroller and Auditor General of India, has in an interview criticised Singh. Rai said he felt he felt Singh was part of the decisions to allocate 2G telecom spectrum on first-cum-first serve basis and coal blocks without auction.
"...In 2G and coal there is no way he (Singh) can shirk responsibility. In 2G all the letters written by (then telecom Minister) A Raja were to him and he was replying to those letters. I got no reply to any letter I wrote to him.
"On one occasion when I called on him, the PM said I hope you don't expect a reply from me, whereas he was replying to Raja twice a day. So how can he be not held responsible for the onus of that decision?," Rai had said.
