Onboard PM's Special Aircraft, May 29: Strongly rebutting Team Anna's allegations of corruption against him, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today offered to quit public life and face any punishment if charges on coal block allotments are proved.
“Let the people of India decided as to what crime the Prime Minister has committed for which such hard and harsh words are being used against him.
“If I have indulged any such misdeed, then my entire public career, be it as Finance Minister, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha or as Prime Minister...whoever levels allegations in this regard should substantiate it,” Singh told reporters on his way back from Myanmar.
He said it was unfortunate that irresponsible allegations relating to irregularities in allocation of coal blocks are being made without confirming facts.
“If there is even an iota of truth in it, then I will give up my public career and the country can give me any punishment,” he said, adding his public life has been an open book.
Singh deprecated use of harsh words against him by Team Anna. “To use such words, which have been used without reason or rhyme, I think, the public in India should make up its mind whether this sort of politics will rule the roost in the country,” Singh said.
This is Prime Minister's first reaction to Team Anna members Prashant and Shanti Bhushan's allegations last week accusing him of corruption for the first time when they referred to a draft CAG report on allocation blocks when he held charge of Coal ministry.
He also termed as “unfortunate and irresponsible” the corruption allegations levelled against him and 14 of his ministerial colleagues by Team Anna.
The Prime Minister read out a brief statement to the media accompanying him on board his special aircraft before taking questions.
The statement said there have been reports about the allocation of coal blocks based on leaked portions of the draft CAG report on the issue.
“We have also received a letter on the same subject. The Coal Minister has given factual details in response to these allegations and the Coal Ministry has put up all the information on its website,” he said.
Singh said Government has not yet received the CAG report. “When we do, the Government will submit its detailed factual response before the Public Accounts Committee as per constitutional procedure,” he said.
“Uninformed allegations and discussions based on the leaked draft are unfortunate,” he said.
“Let the people of India decided as to what crime the Prime Minister has committed for which such hard and harsh words are being used against him.
“If I have indulged any such misdeed, then my entire public career, be it as Finance Minister, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha or as Prime Minister...whoever levels allegations in this regard should substantiate it,” Singh told reporters on his way back from Myanmar.
He said it was unfortunate that irresponsible allegations relating to irregularities in allocation of coal blocks are being made without confirming facts.
“If there is even an iota of truth in it, then I will give up my public career and the country can give me any punishment,” he said, adding his public life has been an open book.
Singh deprecated use of harsh words against him by Team Anna. “To use such words, which have been used without reason or rhyme, I think, the public in India should make up its mind whether this sort of politics will rule the roost in the country,” Singh said.
This is Prime Minister's first reaction to Team Anna members Prashant and Shanti Bhushan's allegations last week accusing him of corruption for the first time when they referred to a draft CAG report on allocation blocks when he held charge of Coal ministry.
He also termed as “unfortunate and irresponsible” the corruption allegations levelled against him and 14 of his ministerial colleagues by Team Anna.
The Prime Minister read out a brief statement to the media accompanying him on board his special aircraft before taking questions.
The statement said there have been reports about the allocation of coal blocks based on leaked portions of the draft CAG report on the issue.
“We have also received a letter on the same subject. The Coal Minister has given factual details in response to these allegations and the Coal Ministry has put up all the information on its website,” he said.
Singh said Government has not yet received the CAG report. “When we do, the Government will submit its detailed factual response before the Public Accounts Committee as per constitutional procedure,” he said.
“Uninformed allegations and discussions based on the leaked draft are unfortunate,” he said.
