National NEWS
PM Snubs Ramesh for Critical Remarks on Home Ministry
May 10, 2010 Visionmp.com news service
Stepping into the matter, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has snubbed Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh for his remarks abroad criticizing Home Ministry, which put Congress in embarrassment and incited BJP to demand his resignation, said media reports.
During his visit to China earlier this week, Ramesh had used words such as ‘alarmists’ and ‘paranoid’ for the Home Ministry’s policies on entry of Chinese companies in India while talking to reporters at an international conference on climate change.
The BJP has said that it will seek the resignation of Union Minister Jairam Ramesh if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh does not take action against him for his “unbecoming” comments against the Home Ministry, said media reports. “Definitely, if the PM does not act (against him),” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar was quoted as saying while talking to reporters. “The comments of (Mr) Ramesh in a foreign country which were critical of the Government are highly objectionable...it is unbecoming of a Union Minister. The Prime Minister owes an explanation on the internal squabbling within ministers and take action against him,” he was quoted as saying.
PTI reported PMO sources as saying that Singh telephonically talked to Ramesh and stressfully told him that there was ‘no confusion’ in the government over its approach towards China with which it wanted to have ‘constructive engagement’.
Singh also told Ramesh that Cabinet colleagues should not make comments on the functioning of other ministries, particularly regarding its relationship with important neighbours like China, report quoted sources as saying.
Ramesh’s comments embarrassed the government, for they showed the lack of cohesive thinking within the UPA on China, said report citing sources.
The minister had said in Beijing that ‘overly defensive and alarmist’ approach in the security establishments in India which are raising telephone tapping concerns would not help in sustaining the Copenhagen spirit.
Besides, Ramesh said that India should be much more relaxed in its approach to Chinese investments into the country and get rid of ‘needless’ restrictions, adding ‘we are imagining demons where there are none’.
His remarks had come in the context of recent reports that India had barred import of telecom equipment from the major Chinese firm Huawei, especially in the border areas, following security concerns.
(Based on internet reports)
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