Cong steers clear from Karuna''s comment on Raja

New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) Despite tying up with theDravidian party in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, Congress todaysteered clear of DMK''s move of giving total backing toembattled former Telecom Minister A Raja.

At the same time, the party said that the arrest of Rajawould have no bearing on the DMK-Congress ties as also on thesuccess of the alliance in the southern state.

"It is a comment made by him on a member of his party,"Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natrajan told reporters whenasked whether Congress endorses DMK supremo M Karunanidhi''scomment that Raja''s "mere" arrest in 2G spectrum scam does notmake him guilty and that he has been made to suffer for makingrate of mobile calls cheaper.

She said the arrest of Raja was the culmination of thelaw taking its course in the 2G issue. She said "despite alldoubts and cynicism" expressed by the opposition, the inquiryinto the issue is going on and action is being taken.

Seeking to take high moral ground on the matter for theparty, she said the action against Raja showed that in thepolitical philosophy of the Congress-led UPA action is taken,unlike that in the NDA where BJP Chief Minister of Karnataka BS Yeddyurappa refuses to quit despite serious charges.

Congress stand on the Raja issue came a day after theDMK played the Dalit card saying he and the party were beingtargeted because they formed the pillar of the "downtrodden orShudras".

DMK''s strategy to throw its weight behind Raja a dayafter his arrest was unveiled at its highest policy-makingbody in Chennai yesterday.

Making his first remarks on the arrest of Raja,Karunanidhi drew an analogy from the Hindu mythology comparinghis party colleague to King Mahabali who he said had to sufferfor the good things he did for the people, and due to uppercaste people.