Sibal blames non-transparent NDA for 2G fiasco

New Delhi, Feb 4: Union telecom minister Mr Kapil Sibal has taken on the opposition parties with a vengeance as he blamed the NDA regime for the 2G spectrum scam.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led NDA he said, that the lapse in spectrum allocation price was started in 2003 and prevailed until 2008. He put the NDA government in the dock saying that their policy for spectrum allocation was wrong.

Mr Sibal also claimed that the controversial first-come-first-serve policy was put in practice by the BJP-led NDA regime. He said that NDA's policy on spectrum allocation were not transparent which eventually led to procedural lapses.

Speaking in New Delhi on Feb 4, Sibal said, "Those who are making allegations today are the ones who began it. Why wasn't there inquiry then? Ministers who didn't follow Cabinet decision were not questioned."

Sibal said that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), in 2003 had said new or additional telecom operators could be introduced through multi-stage auction and the proposal was accepted by the Union Cabinet in 2003. He pointed out that TRAI's recommendation was not followed by the NDA government.

In a statement that can make the 2G spectrum scandal even murkier he alleged that during the 2003-2008 period, operators didn't pay anything for the spectrum.

OneIndia News