New Delhi: The Opposition has cornered the Congress-led UPA Government on not one but three scams, including the controversy over the allocation of 2G spectrum. A CAG report accessed by CNN-IBN clearly indicts Telecom Minister A Raja.
The CAG report on the 2G spectrum scandal has clearly indicted Raja as well as the telecom regulator TRAI. The report says Raja ignored the advice of the Finance Ministry, the Law Ministry and the Telecom Commission while allocating the spectrum, which was done in an arbitrary manner without giving any logic or reasons.
The report states that the eligibility criteria were changes to suit a few operators. The loss to the exchequer is between Rs 90,000 to Rs 1,40,000 crore.
The CAG report also slams TRAI for being a 'helpless spectator'. It also indicts the Department of Telecom for flouting eligibility guidelines and says of the 122 licences issued, 85 were illegal.
The DoT, the report says, sold off precious natural assets cheaply.
"Action has been initiated against the lieutenants of corruption but the raja of corruption has escaped. The Congress has disassociated itself and made a statement that the enquiry against Raja is the prerogative of the Prime Minister. So the onus is on the Prime Minister," says AIADMK leader Dr V Maitreyan.
"The matter of A Raja has been in focus for many months now and matter is now sub judice and is pending in the court. So until the court takes a view on the matter, it will be difficult for us to comment or take any action," says Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan.
The AIADMK is planning to disrupt Parliament over the Raja issue by putting the heat on the Congress. With the exit of Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan over a scam that runs into a few crores, the Congress will be hard pressed to explain why it cannot take action in a scam that is worth at least Rs 1,40,000 crore. The fig leaf of coalition compulsions is something the UPA can no longer hide behind.