DoT dragged PM's name in 2G mess

NEW DELHI, INDIA: In a recent affidavit filed by the Department of Telecommunications to the Supreme Court, the department has mentioned that all decisions taken on new Unified Access Service (UAS) licenses and on other related issues by A Raja, then Minister of Communications and Information Technology, were taken with no difference of opinion with Prime Minister.

As part of the communication between PM Manmohan Singh and Raja, this affidavit cites the letter from the Prime Minister, which was sent to Raja on November 2, 2007 and mentioned that Raja replied to the PM on the same day in which he clarified all the issues raised by him. Further, DoT on November 6, 2007 had intimated the Prime Minister’s Office on the decision taken to work out revised subscriber based spectrum allocation criteria and processing of pending applications for grant of UASL.

“Thus, not only was there no difference of opinion with Hon’ble Prime Minister, he was also fully kept informed at all decisions. On 26.12.2007, Hon’ble MoCIT again wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, informing that it is proposed to implement the decision without further delay and without any departure from the existing guidelines,” read the affidavit filed by the DoT.

Copy of this affidavit along with letter exchanged between PM Manmohan Singh and Raja were distributed in a press conference organized by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday evening. CPI (M) leaders Sitaram Yechury and Prakash Karat in the press conference reiterated their demand to set-up a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe the alleged irregularity in allocation of 2G license.

“Opposition did not drag PM’s name in 2G scam. It is his government that has filed the affidavit before the Hon’ble Supreme Court and dragged his name. We are not questioning the PM’s integrity but questioning his infallibility,” said Yechury.

Justifying demand for JPC, Yechury mentioned that the government should identify and book the culprits, examine how the existing system was manipulated that lead to massive scam and based on this examination it should suggest with remedial regulations.

“This job cannot be done by anybody else but by a parliamentary committee. Remedial measures and regulations suggestion will mean need of framing new laws. Law making authority resides with nobody else in the country but the parliament. Therefore it is important to form JPC,” said Yechury.

Yechury added that money that could have been recovered from 2G spectrum could have eliminated hunger of people deprived of food in the country.

“Rice at Rs 3 per kilogram will cost the country Rs 85000 crore annually. At Rs 4 per Kg, it may cost country around Rs 1,10,000 crore but here we are talking about scam of Rs 1 lakh 76 thousand crore,” said Yechury.

Yechury expressed hope that the government will give in to demand of opposition and set-up JPC to probe alleged irregularity in allotment of 2G spectrum in 2008.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Saturday providing details of the letters the PMO received from former MP Subramanian Swamy seeking sanction to prosecute A. Raja over the 2G spectrum controversy, and its response to those letters.

The 10-page affidavit also gave details of the steps that the PMO took in pursuance of Swamy's communications.

The affidavit, filed by a director in the PMO, was filed in accordance with the apex court direction on Thursday.