BJP demands sacking of A.Raja over 2G spectrum scam

New Delhi, Oct.26 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday reiterated its demand that Telecom Minister A.Raja be sacked for his controversial role in the allocation of 2G spectrum.

Addressing a news conference in the capital here this afternoon, BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitely claimed that by allocating 2G spectrum at prices that were in existence in 2001 and not what was the prevailing rate in 2009, A.Raja had colluded in a fraud and loss of more than Rs.60,000 crores, making it the largest scam in independent India history.

"It is unfortunate that the Prime Minister has chosen to comment on the innocence of the minister, even while the investigations are on. There was no occasion for the Prime Minister to send such a signal to the investigative agencies directly under him," Jaitely said.

"This country has been robbed of a large amount of money by this misdemeanour of the Telecom Department. The compulsions of the coalition politics should not come in the way of an honest investigation. Propriety requires that while the investigations are under way, the minister should cease to be in office. His continuation in that ministry is itself a deterrent to an honest and independent investigation," he added.

"The entire nation is closely watching this investigation. Let this investigation not result in holding civil servants guilty and the minister innocent. It was the minister who is the prime accused and the civil servants were only carrying out his dictates," Jaitely further said.

He said that with the Central Bureau of Investigation registering a regular case with regard to the allotment of spectrum for the 2-G license issued by the Department of Telecommunications in 2007; the offices of the Department of Telecommunications have been searched and various documents have been seized, there was serious ground to assume that an impropriety had been committed in the public domain.

"To Shri A. Raja's statement that he had kept the Prime Minister informed of what he was doing, the Prime Minister has said - " I would not like to join the issue in the public with my Cabinet colleague." Obviously, the Prime Minister is in no position to agree or disagree," Jaitely said.The allegations against Shri A. Raja and the officers of the Department of Telecommunications are very clear, Jaitely said, adding that the BJP had raised the issue in Parliament during the Monsoon Session.

He said that the party had then demanded prosecution of the minister and other officers under Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

This provision provides for imprisonment of seven years, Jaitely said, adding that Raja is primarily liable for this offence.(ANI)