Rejecting the opposition's demand for removal of charge-sheeted ministers from his government, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said a "distinction" being sought to be made between tainted ministers in this government and those in the previous dispensation is not "tenable."
"This is not the first time that ministers who have been charged have held on to their portfolios. I think the previous government itself had several [of them]," he told reporters at Rashtrapati Bhavan after the presentation of Padma awards
by President A P J Abdul Kalam.
Asked if he is not against charge-sheeted people holding positions of power in the government, Singh said: "Well, I think there are compulsions of coalition politics. People of India have given a verdict. You cannot deprive large sections of people they [the charge-sheeted ministers] represent."
The opposition boycotted almost the entire last session of Parliament demanding dismissal of these ministers.
The prime minister said he hopes better sense will prevail and the opposition will cooperate with the government for an orderly conduct of the Budget session.