Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the first time after the 2G note controversy erupted but refused to speak on the issue, saying the matter is sub judice and he would first speak to "valued colleague" P Chidambaram and other leaders.
After his nearly hour-long meeting with Singh at the New York Palace Hotel where Prime Minister is staying, Mukherjee said, "it would not be proper on my part to make any comment on that issue."
He was asked about the controversial note, prepared by a finance ministry official suggesting that the 2G scam could have been averted had the Finance Ministry then headed by Chidambaram insisted on the auction route instead of 2001 price for allotment of spectrum.
The finance minister began his comments on the 2G note saying, "I am sorry. I cannot make any comment on it."
"Why should I comment on domestic issues outside India? The matter is sub-judice. I am not here to satisfy your infinite inquisitiveness," he told the media.
Mukherjee, who was in Washington for Indian Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings, had to advance his departure the city for the unscheduled meeting with Dr Singh.
The controversial note, prepared by a finance ministry official, had suggested that the 2G scam could have been averted had the Finance Ministry then headed by Chidambaram insisted on the auction route instead of 2001 price for allotment of spectrum.
Earlier, talking about his meeting with Mukherjee, Dr Singh had said, "There are a lot of things happening in the world. There's the global economic crisis. He was at the (IMF-World Bank) meeting. So he would like to brief me. So there is nothing unusual in all this."
Ever since the finance ministry note surfaced, the Opposition parties have been baying for Chidambaram's blood.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister had fully backed Chidambaram and ruled out any infighting among the ministers.
"I don't know what note you are talking about. The whole 2G matter is before the court. I don't want to comment on a matter that is subjudice", he had told journalists accompanying him from Frankfurt to New York.
"As far as Mr P Chidambaram is concerned, as finance minister, he had enjoyed my full confidence and as home minister he continues to enjoy and inspire my full confidence," he had said.
Asked whether he will back Mukherjee like Chidambaram, Singh had replied, "Of course all my ministers. They are I think ministers who enjoy my confidence in full."
