Caught in a storm over the Finance Ministry's note on the 2G case, the UPA Government went into damage control mode on Thursday.
Putting up a show of unity, the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, and the Home Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, told the media that the “matter is closed”.
Earlier in the day, the two senior-most UPA Ministers met the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to discuss the issue.
Steering clear of the controversy over his Ministry's note that was ‘seen' by him, Mr Mukherjee read out a statement that said, “A view was taken that a harmonised note based on facts should be produced for use by various representatives of the Government. A group of officers prepared an inter-ministerial background paper which was sent to PMO on March 25, 2011. Apart from the factual background, the paper contains certain inferences and interpretations which do not reflect my views.”
He added that the “policy of the Government in 2007-08 was a continuation of the policy adopted in October 2003 and as reiterated by TRAI.”
Stepping in later, Mr Chidambaram referred to Mr Mukherjee as a “senior and distinguished colleague" and said, “I accept the statement and as far as all of us in the Government are concerned, the matter is closed.”
According to the Finance Ministry's note dated March 25, the 2G scam could have been avoided had the then Finance Minister (Mr Chidambaram) insisted on auctioning spectrum.