New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday spoke to Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and asked him not to comment on the functioning of other ministries, a reference to the minister's critical remarks in Beijing against the home ministry.
Manmohan Singh conveyed his displeasure to Ramesh and told him to avoid commenting on the working of other ministries in public, sources in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) told IANS.
The sources pointed out that the prime minister told Ramesh that there should not be "any confusion" over India's policies towards China.
Ramesh created a flutter when he criticised the home ministry and the security establishment of India during a trip to Beijing, saying their policies towards China were "alarmist and paranoid".
"The suspicious attitude of the security establishment of India is spoiling the bonhomie between the two Asian neighbours, created as a result of the close collaboration on international negotiations on climate change," Ramesh had said.
The prime minister's rebuke came amid demands by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that Ramesh should be made to resign for making such remarks, specially in a foreign country.
Ramesh, who was in Beijing to attend an international meet on climate change, said there was danger that the cooperation with China at the Copenhagen spirit would not last long unless India changes a needlessly restrictive, alarmist approach to Chinese investment in infrastructure.
The Congress leadership too has taken a dim view of Ramesh's remarks about the home ministry's policies towards Chinese companies.
The party, however, officially said that it will react to the issue after the minister's return from Beijing.
"Let the minister come back to the country. Things will be clear and we will respond to the issue," Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told IANS.
Privately though, party leaders expressed annoyance at the minister's remarks. "The leadership is unhappy with his remarks," a senior Congress leader said.
He said ministers on foreign soil were expected to present a united picture of the government. "There are meetings of cabinet to air views on any policy," the leader added.
He said Ramesh would have to explain his position to the party leadership on his return.
Coming soon after party leader Digvijay Singh's critical comments on Home Minister P. Chidambaram's anti-Maoist policy and the resignation of minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor's in the IPL-Kochi row, the fresh remarks have put the government on the defensive.