2G allotted as per NDA policies: A Raja

New Delhi, Aug 9: In a huge blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that has been pressurising the UPA government to sack the telecom minister, A Raja, the DMK leader has said that the allotment of 2G spectrum in 2008 was done on the policies of previous NDA regime.

Dismissing all allegations of irregularities in 2G spectrum, Mr Raja on Monday, Aug 9 told the Lok Sabha that the government followed the policies of previous NDA regime and the recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

"Since 1999, 2G spectrum was never auctioned...even in the latest report of TRAI it did not recommend auction route to maintain level playing field between two sets of operators --(pre-2008 and post-2008)," he said during the question hour.

"Allegations and counter allegations are common in public life," Raja shouted back in response to allegations made by M Thambidurai of AIADMK.

The Opposition led by the BJP has been seeking the removal of A Raja from the telecom portfolio, leaving the government in a desperate situation as it does not wish to upset its crucial ally in the south, the DMK.

In 2009, the telecom minister had alleged that the BJP-led NDA government was involved in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

However, the saffron party cleverly dodged this with a counter attack asking why Mr Raja was silent all these years.

OneIndia News