PM defends tainted ministers

Under criticism that his ministry contains some tainted members, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday insisted that a person is innocent until he is convicted.

"If there are cases against any minister, we will not interfere with the legal process. We will not do anything to come in the way of the law of the land taking its course," he told reporters after the release of the Common Minimum Programme of the United Progressive Alliance government.

Singh was replying to a question how he would justify inclusion of some chargesheeted ministers in his government when his party had raised a hue and cry over such ministers in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government.

At the same time, Singh drew attention to the compulsions of coalition politics saying, "Life is not a straight line but a zigzag process."

Also Read BJP to target chargesheeted ministers

The Bharatiya Janata Party plans to raise the issue of tainted ministers in the first session of Parliament.

When asked the 'tainted' ministers, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said the prime minister has already spoken to the concerned alliance partner on the issue but declined to reveal the details. "You ask the prime minister," the UPA chairperson said.