Krishna writes to PM, hits out at Team Anna

Hitting out against team Anna, external affairs minister SM Krishna deplored their efforts at tarnishing the images of the ministers and embarrassing the UPA government.

Hitting out against team Anna, external affairs minister SM Krishna deplored their efforts at tarnishing the images of the ministers and embarrassing the UPA government.

In a 23 page letter addressed to prime minister Manmohan Singh, the minister slammed the team Anna for making wild allegations based on "erroneous information, wrong facts, incorrect understanding and convenient interpretation."

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The team Anna had raised a slew of allegations of corruption against Krishna when he was the chief of Karnataka pertaining to granting of mining leases, de-notifying forest land for mining and committing irregularities in running of the public sector unit, Mysore Minerals Limited.

Krishna's letter to prime minister, dated July 26, 2012 term these allegations "far from truth"

"During my entire tenure as chief minister no mining application was considered nor processed for grant of mining lease", says the minister.

It is learnt that the Krishna's letter has 12 documents attached to the letter including the minutes of the cabinet meeting on December 16, 2001 to ward off the allegation that the "de-reserving of the forest land was done" despite opposition from then forest minister.

Krishna said that the cabinet was free "within its powers" harmonise different viewpoints" for a suitable outcome. The external affairs minister also said that the Karnataka Lokayukta had done an investigation into the allegations and had exonerated him. Prashant

Team Anna member Prasant Bhushan alleged that the former chief minister managed to get relief as the state government did not furnish a cabinet note to the Lokayukta in which the chief minister had signed a note recommending de-reservation of 11,620 sq km forest land and permission for iron ore mining by private companies. Krishna also said that he was "surprised" as well as "confused" by the objection raised from Team Anna when he moved Supreme Court.

"It is further unfortunate that these (allegations) are being repeated through media, probably to tarnish my image and embarrass the UPA government…. In these circumstances I find no further action is required on the letter (from Team Anna).