2G crisis: How effectively has the govt responded?

With the Prime Minister accepting that his government has failed to manage public perceptions, how effectively or incompetently has the government responded to the 2G crisis? Also, how has this scam damaged the image of some of its ministers and what is the impact on the prime minister himself?

This episode of India Tonight seeks to find some answers to the above questions. Joining Karan Thappar are editor and chief of Outlook, Vinod Mehta, the editorial director of the New Indian Express Prabhu Chawla, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman and Congress MP and PAC member Sanjay Nirupam. Below is an edited transcript of their interview. Also watch the accompanying videos. Q: The PM has accepted that the government has failed to manage perceptions, but he also claims at the same time that attempts are been made to destabilize the polity. Where there is no doubt about the first point, does the second suggest that he is caught the right response to the swirling 2G crisis or does it suggest that he has failed to grasp the significance of the problem he faces? Mehta: He has no other response. If you look back, I think this Finance Ministry letter emerged last Thursday. We are into Wednesday today, 7 days have passed and we are still to get a substantive response from the government, except the valued colleague and the pillar of strength kind of statements. In fact the conversations about how to respond are still going on. Pranab Mukherjee is supposed to meet the PM this evening. So in those 6-7 days, because the government didn