Subramanian Swamy seeks Maran's resignation

Chennai, Jun 8: Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy today (June 8) demanded the resignation of Union Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran following allegations of pay-offs in 2-G spectrum allocation against him.

Referring to the Justice Shivraj Patil Committee report on spectrum allocation and pricing, Swamy told reporters here that beneficiaries in the Aircel issue were "not directly benefiting," but were buying it (the company) from the direct beneficiaries.

Dayanidhi Maran is in the eye of a controversy after former Aircel Chief C Sivasankaran alleged that the former as Telecom Minister in 2006 "forced and arm-twisted" him to sell his stake in Aircel to Malaysian firm Maxis, whose owner is considered to be close to Maran and his brother Kalanidhi, who owns Sun TV Network. Maran has rejected the allegation.

Swamy alleged that Congress was targeting DMK so that it can "get rid of the party and go for AIADMK in the future."

Demanding removal of P Chidambaram from the Union Cabinet, Swamy charged that Chidambaram had made a "series of blunders ...from the somersault on the Samjautha Express bombing to the howlers in the list of 50 most wanted persons sent to Pakistan."

PTI