Group of Ministers formed to decide on CBI autonomy

New Delhi, May 14 (ANI): In the wake of the Supreme Court's criticism of the government for influencing the CBI report in the coal blocks allocation scam, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has formed a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram to decide the plan of action to insulate the investigating agency from external influence.

Besides Chidambaram, the GoM has External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, newly-appointed Law Minister Kapil Sibal, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari and Minister of State for Personnel V. Narayanasamy as members.

According to reports, the GoM will deliberate on ways to further strengthen CBI's autonomy and safeguard it from any kind of outside interferences.

The government's move came after the Supreme Court had called the CBI "a caged parrot" that "speaks in its master's voice" after the investigating agency admitted in an affidavit that Ashwani Kumar, who quit as the Law Minister on Friday, and senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office and the coal ministry had made certain changes in the report on the allocation of coal blocks.

The apex court, which reserved its harshest words for the CBI, calling it a "caged parrot with many masters", stressed the need for the CBI to operate independently of the political establishment.

"You are not a constable or head constable. You are a premier investigating agency and must learn to work under pressure. It (probe) is not a collaborative exercise between the CBI and ministry officials ... It is a sordid saga of many masters and one parrot," it said.

Under pressure from the Supreme Court, the government seems to be taking action unwillingly.

Manish Tewari is known for his aggressive anti Supreme Court views.

We all remember his remarks against Anna Hazare which he had to withdraw because of public outcry.

The same goes for V Narayanasamy.

The government could easily added Digvijay Singh's name and made its intentions clear.