Pranab sidesteps on ordinance against graft

KOLKATA - Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Sunday hedged on the issue of the central government promulgating an ordinance to tackle corruption among politicians and public servants.

“The question is totally hypothetical. No ordinance has been issued. Effect of ordinance nobody knows. Ordinance is nothing but a law. Let the ordinance come,” Mukherjee told mediapersons here when asked about the reported move.

“Some newspapers have made some stories,” he added.

“Ordinance has to be issued by the executive. No ordinance has yet been issued,” the minister said.

It was reported last week that the Congress-led central government was planning to bring an ordinance to fight corruption among public servants and politicians, in the wake of several corruption issues.