Chidambaram, Maran continuance unfortunate: BJP

Patna, Jun 10: BJP lashed out at the UPA government at the Centre on the issue of corruption on Thursday, June 9 saying it was ''unfortunate'' that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran continued to be ministers despite their name cropping up in the 2G spectrum case.

Seeking to corner the UPA government on the twin issues of corruption and bringing back blackmoney stashed abroad, BJP General Secretary Dharmendra Pradhan said the decision on allocation of 2G spectrum was taken when Chidambaram was Union Finance Minister.

The Public Accounts Committee in its draft report in April this year had questioned the role of the finance ministry, including then finance minister P Chidambaram, in the 2G spectrum scam.

"The former owner of Aircel has told CBI that Maran, who was earlier the telecome minister, had threatened to eliminate him. But Maran is still continuing as minister," Pradhan said.

However, Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the CWG organising committee and A Raja, the Union Telecom minister in the UPA II government were asked to resign on issues relating to the irregularities in organising the Commonwealth Games 2010 and 2G spectrum scam respectively, he added.

Yesterday in an interview to a TV channel, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari's said that he has evidence against Chidambaram for his alleged involvement in 2G spectrum scam.

PTI