Khurshid downplays Pranab-Chidambaram 2G row

Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid on Monday downplayed the row over the finance ministry note on Home Minister P Chidambaram's stand on the 2G spectrum issue, saying there is no scope for any worry over the document and inferences drawn out of it were "not correct".

Khurshid also said the note was not worth keeping the media "preoccupied" for such a long time.

"I have seen the note. I don't think the note has anything on which we should express worry," Khurshid said, amid a controversy over the stand taken by Chidambaram when he was the finance minister.

"Even if all parts of the note are believed to be correct, I will say that the inferences drawn are not correct," said Khurshid.

Khurshid, who made it clear that he was giving opinion in his personal capacity and in the capacity of lawyer, claimed that the matter was "not so big" as has been projected by the media.

He said the media was giving unnecessary attention to the note which, according to him, had "no meaning".

"I don't think the note should keep you (media) preoccupied for such a long time," the law minister said.

To a question as to why the government was moving in circles with the finance ministry blaming the Prime Minister's Office for giving out the note under RTI, Khurshid replied, "If we are moving in circles, then you (media) are running on a treadmill."

Khurshid said the note was actually a "summary" prepared by an official.

"People give their opinion over and above the summary. The importance of the opinion will be seen when the issue is discussed," he said.

The March 25, 2011 document on allocation and pricing of 2G spectrum broadly suggests that the scam could have been averted had Chidambaram insisted about auctioning the spectrum instead of it being sold on a first come, first served basis during the tenure of former telecom minister A Raja.

Khurshid refrained from taking any further questions on the 2G note and said he would be in a position to make further comments after the return of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee from the United States.

At one stage, Khurshid's attention was drawn towards today's hearing in the court where Raja's counsel had suggested that Chidambaram should be summoned.

However, Khurshid made it clear that it was not correct for him to reply as these were mere arguments made by lawyers.

"We, in the government, do not respond to arguments because they are of no consequences until the judge takes note of them and issues an order," he said.