New Delhi: Under criticism that his Ministry contained some tainted members, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (May 27, 2004) made it clear that his Government would not come in the way of the law of the land taking its course.

He, however said, law of the land is that until someone is convicted, he is innocent.

"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 (CMP) of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) 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 (BJP)-led coalition.

At the same time, Singh underlined the compulsions of a coalition saying, "Life is not a straight line and is a zigzag process."

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, when asked the same question about the "tainted" Ministers, said the Prime Minister has already told the concerned alliance partner on the issue, but declined to specify what has been told. "You ask the Prime Minister," Gandhi, who is also chairperson of the UPA, said.