DMK backs Raja, slams opposition for maligning party

Chennai, Feb 3 (PTI) Throwing its weight behind formerTelecom Minister A Raja, the DMK today said his arrest doesnot prove his guilt in the 2G spectrum scam and accusedopposition parties of targeting him to "malign" the party.

The DMK''s decision to stand by Raja came a day afterhe was arrested by the CBI with the party passing a resolutionat its top decision making body''s meeting, presided over byTamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi.

Accusing the opposition of blowing the 2G spectrumscam out of proportion, the DMK said their only evidenceagainst Raja was the CAG report tabled in Parliament, whichthey were using to "malign" the party.

The CAG had given a similar report during the NDAregime also on the issue, but the opposition, which hadsuccessfully blocked functioning of Parliament during its lastsession, has again threatened to do so in the coming BudgetSession, demanding a JPC probe into the issue, it said.

But when the earlier CAG report was tabled, there wasno "such noise" from the then opposition, the resolution said.

The opposition did not want the Public AccountsCommittee, which normally goes into such reports, theresolution said, pointing out that the PAC was headed by a BJPmember (Murli Manohar Joshi).

There was no justification for the opposition tocontinue the protest as the probe by the CBI, which is underthe Supreme Court''s monitoring, has intensified investigationinto the 2G scam and arrested Raja, the resolution said.

It also recalled the earlier statement of Karunanidhithat he would not hesitate to take action against Raja if hewas really proved guilty, adding the party was "an openbook." PTI SA SR APR RA