Finance Minister P Chidambaram spoke exclusively to NDTV on the Tamil Nadu Government's decision to release all seven people convicted in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The Finance Minister also spoke on the passage of the Telangana Bill in the Lok Sabha yesterday.
Here are the highlights:
On the decision to release Rajiv Gandhi's killers:- I am not happy or unhappy. It's the Supreme Court's decision
- Do not see this as cynical politics or mockery of justice.
- Our grief at Rajiv's loss irreparable
- Decision made possible because of court not politics
- Do have issue with mere delay being reason to commute death sentences
- Accept that after this other state governments may want to do same
- Mercy petition in Rajiv case sat with NDA government for four years
On Telangana:
- My view is that Congress has been too tolerant in dealing with dissent on Telangana
- I believe Kiran Reddy should have been asked to step down much sooner as Chief Minister
- Ofcourse one would have preferred a proper debate, but there was no option
- BJP can afford consensus because it has no footprint in either Telangana or Seemandhra
- The Lok Sabha telecast blackout is nothing to do with the government
- Cannot call it censorship as the press gallery was full and had access to the proceeding
On Narendra Modi:
- 2002 is certainly still an election issue. You all underestimate how much of issue it is
- The PM and Sonia Gandhi apologised for 1984. Can't Mr Modi say "I apologise"?
- The BJP can't count on a legal clean chit, the matter is before a higher court
- Am ready to debate Modi. Why doesn't he spell out his views on specifics like Fiscal Deficit
- Harvard Vs Hard work is just word play, I'm entitled to a retort
- Why is Mr Modi not ready to address a no holds barred press conference. Why doesn't he face the media
On gas pricing:
- Those questioning gas pricing do not know Economics 101
- If BJP now questioning pricing, maybe they think they won't be in power and won't have to set prices
- Disappointing to see former cabinet secretary and revenue secretary support gas pricing row
- CAG criticism of reliance nothing to do with pricing
On Vodafone:
- I would not have necessarily gone with the amendment that brought the retrospective tax.
- I would have explored other avenues
- We can reconcile in a few hours if Vodafone makes up its mind