Congress defensive over Thomas issue after SC verdict

NEW DELHI: Pushed to a corner by the Supreme Court, which struck down the appointment of PJ Thomas as Chief Vigilance Commissioner on Thursday, a red-faced Congress felt that the Government could have better managed the crisis by making Thomas quit earlier.

The party, which was obviously on the defensive after the adverse judgment, threw its weight behind the Government saying there was no mala fide in the decision of appointment. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi put up a spirited defence of the Government saying the party and UPA bowed down to the decision of Supreme Court. "It is a legal decision and it is completely wrong of political parties to politicise the judgment," Singhvi said.

When asked if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P Chidambaram and then Minister of State for Personnel Prithviraj Chavan should take moral responsibility of the decision and quit, Singhvi said that there is absolutely no question. "Errors are there, which is why the court intervenes. Fallibility does not mean motives... The decision might be legally wrong but it is not morally wrong," Singhvi said.

The Congress tried to look for relief in the order as it pointed out that the Supreme Court had not questioned the motive behind the decision. The party even found some relief in the apex court's observation that unanimity in a decision is not always required.

Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said: "Certain set procedures have been followed by the collegium. They have never been questioned since Independence. Now these procedures have been set aside. We agree there has been a systemic failure. We need to seriously look into the criteria laid down by the Supreme Court, frame a policy and move forward."

There was a feeling within the party that the crisis could have been avoided.