Corruption has emerged as a major issue in the country but Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was not responsible for the situation, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Saturday.
''I don't hold the prime minister responsible for the entire issue related to corruption. But the situation reflects that governance is not up to the mark,'' he told a press conference in Patna.
When his attention was drawn to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's statement that the Centre was ready to convene a special session of Parliament for a debate on the 2G spectrum issue, Kumar said, ''It has no meaning.''
''In fact, the Centre should have accepted the Opposition's demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the 2G spectrum scam,'' he said, but refused to comment on the National Democratic Alliance's demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.
To a question about senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ananth Kumar's alleged business links with controversial corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, Kumar said, ''Ananth Kumar is competent to give a reply to it.''
Asked whether he predicted a mid-term poll in view of the impasse in Parliament over the 2G spectrum scam, Kumar said, ''I don't think such a situation will arise, given the numerical strength of United Progressive Alliance in the house.''
Citing instances of alleged lack of governance by the UPA government, he said the Centre's 'discriminatory' attitude towards states not ruled by Congress spoke volumes. While the Centre allocated funds to Andhra Pradesh and other states ruled by Congress for relief, it did not do so for Kosi rehabilitation project in Bihar.
''We had not sought any special favour from the Centre on the issue. We had not pressed for funds for carrying out relief but we wanted the Centre to help us for the rehabilitation of the people affected by Kosi floods in 2008. Whenever the Congress came to power, it made sinister attempts to weaken the federal structure of the country,'' Kumar said.
The state government had, in the absence of the Centre's help, approached the World Bank for loans for Kosi flood rehabilitation project.
''They (Congress) made a mockery of Bihar even at the time of elections and the people have taught them a lesson,'' he said, apparently referring to Dr Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi attacking his government for not properly utilising central funds.
