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CPM too demands PC ouster over 2G
Sympathising with the plight” of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for having the “onerous task of rescuing his Cabinet colleague, the CPI(M) on Friday demanded the resignation of Home Minister P Chidambaram, citing “mounting evidences” about his direct role in the 2G spectrum scam.
“He (Chidambaram) has said the matter is closed. I am afraid the matter is not closed... We are demanding his resignation in light of the mounting evidence about his direct role and involvement in the policy and implementation of allocation of licences of 2G spectrum,” party general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters here after the conclusion of the two-day Politburo meet.
Karat said the Finance Ministry note was not the handiwork of a single officer but “prepared in consultation with various departments, including the PMO, and coordinated by the Cabinet Secretary”.
Referring in a lighter vein to the clarificatory statement made by Mukherjee on Thursday, Karat said he had “an onerous task of rescuing his Cabinet colleague. I sympathise with his plight...I think Mukherjee has spoken the truth, which is good”.
Karat said Chidambaram’s action as the then Finance Minister showed he was “going along with the actions of former Telecom Minister A Raja. Has this not been responsible for the massive loss to the state exchequer? This is the main issue. It is very much alive and he should step down from the Cabinet”.
Karat said the note forwarded by the Finance Ministry to the PMO has clearly “delineated the role” played by Chidambaram “in going along with the policy and the implementation of it by Raja”.
“Despite the obfuscation by the Government, the issue is that Chidambaram had given the green signal for a policy which led to a massive loss to the state exchequer. This is despite his Ministry earlier objecting to the first-come, first-served policy and the entry fee being retained at the 2001 rate,” he said.
“He (Chidambaram) has said the matter is closed. I am afraid the matter is not closed... We are demanding his resignation in light of the mounting evidence about his direct role and involvement in the policy and implementation of allocation of licences of 2G spectrum,” party general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters here after the conclusion of the two-day Politburo meet.
Karat said the Finance Ministry note was not the handiwork of a single officer but “prepared in consultation with various departments, including the PMO, and coordinated by the Cabinet Secretary”.
Referring in a lighter vein to the clarificatory statement made by Mukherjee on Thursday, Karat said he had “an onerous task of rescuing his Cabinet colleague. I sympathise with his plight...I think Mukherjee has spoken the truth, which is good”.
Karat said Chidambaram’s action as the then Finance Minister showed he was “going along with the actions of former Telecom Minister A Raja. Has this not been responsible for the massive loss to the state exchequer? This is the main issue. It is very much alive and he should step down from the Cabinet”.
Karat said the note forwarded by the Finance Ministry to the PMO has clearly “delineated the role” played by Chidambaram “in going along with the policy and the implementation of it by Raja”.
“Despite the obfuscation by the Government, the issue is that Chidambaram had given the green signal for a policy which led to a massive loss to the state exchequer. This is despite his Ministry earlier objecting to the first-come, first-served policy and the entry fee being retained at the 2001 rate,” he said.
