Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday acknowledged that the government was aware of the “nervousness” of India Inc on tapping of phones by the authorities and assured the corporate sector that the government would tighten the monitoring system and ensure that such procedures and mechanisms were not misused.
Dr. Singh said he had asked Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar to look into the issues related to phone tapping and report back to the Cabinet within the next one month.
“I am aware of the nervousness in some sections of the corporate sector arising out of the powers conferred upon governmental authorities to tap phones for protecting national security and preventing tax evasion and money laundering,” he said.
Dr. Singh, who was delivering the inaugural address at the “India Corporate Week 2010,” said: “While these powers are needed in the world that we live in, they have to be exercised with utmost care and under well-defined rules, procedures and mechanisms so that they are not misused. We must also look for solutions through technology to prevent access of telephone conversation to systems outside the institutional framework of government. Legal mechanisms already exist and they are in place. They need to be strengthened for more effective enforcement.”
The government would provide “a level-playing field for private businesses, free from fear or favour.” It was committed to “providing an enabling environment conducive to the growth of the corporate sector.”
Dr. Singh's comments come amid questions from corporate leaders on tapping of phones and its leakage to the media. The leakage of the Niira Radia tapes has caused a stir in the corporate as well as political circles.
The Prime Minister also raised concerns over the issue of “ethical deficit” in the corporate sector.
“The manner is which they [corporates] use natural resources and the extent to which they are sensitive to the needs and aspirations of common man is critical to their own long-term survival,” he said.
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