Advani wants probe into Chidambaram's role in 2G spectrum allocation

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L K Advani today said that, despite elaborate attempts at a cover-up, the role of then Finance Minister P Chidambaram, now the Union Home Minister, in the alleged 2G spectrum allocation scam clearly merited serious investigation.

 

"What prompted the Finance Ministry to change its stated position on

auctioning scarce spectrum remains an abiding mystery," he said at a press conference after arriving here as part of his nation-wide Jan Chetna Yatra against corruption.

 

"Why did Mr Chidambaram concur with (then Union Communications Minister) Mr A Raja’s decision to allot spectrum in 2008 at 2001 prices, days after giving an opinion to the contrary?" he asked.

Mr Advani's statement came a day after the Delhi High Court admitted the charges framed against Mr Raja, DMK Rajya Sabha member and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's daughter K Kanimozhi and functionaries of various companies in the 2G spectrum case.

 

He said that while the framing of charges was welcome, he believed the probe had left some important facets out of its ambit.

 

Mr Advani said the suspicion that the money trail did not end with the charge-sheeted persons was growing stronger every day, especially after it was revealed through an RTI application that current Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, senior-most member of the Cabinet, had also opposed this transaction.

 

"I demand that the Supreme Court-directed investigation into the 2G spectrum scam must be extended to probing his (Mr Chidambaram's) role and that of officials of the Finance Ministry of the time," he said.

 

Mr Advani also flayed the Centre for its alleged inconsistent policy towards Naxalite violence. He said the Centre's indifference to State Governments’ efforts to establish order and pave the way for economic progress had hampered India’s fight against internal subversion. 

 

BJP Governments in States affected by Maoist violence have, on the other hand, been consistent and determined. We will continue this fight-back against all forms of terrorism, including Naxalite violence, because the BJP is deeply committed to preserving and promoting pluralist democracy.

 

Referring to the recent killing of six Chhattisgarh police constables by Naxalites near Jagdalpur, he said the state under the leadership of Chief Minister Raman Singh had waged a relentless battle against those who have no faith in the Constitution or democracy. 

 

"These people are stalling the development of backward regions, destroying schools, preventing road construction and other schemes to bring prosperity and peace," he said.

 

"But I am not surprised that the Congress-led UPA Government in Delhi has failed to adopt a consistent policy on this and many other problems facing the country. The Manmohan Singh regime has been so weakened by the succession of gigantic corruption scandals that it has no capacity left to respond to challenges," he said.

 

"The Prime Minister prides himself on his personal integrity. However, the fact that the loot happened under his nose and, from all accounts with his knowledge, puts a serious question mark on his leadership," he said.

 

Mr Advani said his current yatra was for the restoration of a value system in governance.

 

"The cancer of corruption is destroying the soul of our great civilisation. The siphoning of public funds into private pockets is at the root of runaway inflation.

 

"Incredible amounts of black money have been taken out of our country and stashed away in Swiss banks and other tax havens abroad. I raised this issue way back in 2009 but the UPA regime has shown no interest in pursuing this criminal diversion of funds," he said.

 

"I am travelling across the country to rouse people’s consciousness on the issue of corruption for that is the real obstacle to good governance. We need clean politics, good governance and a moral fibre," he said.

 

NNN