BJP demands Chidambaram's head in 2G spectrum scam

The Bharatiya Janata Party says it wants home minister P Chidambaram’s removal from the council of ministers for his alleged role in the telecom spectrum issue.

This is a day after the department of economic affairs informed the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probing the scam that no records were kept of an important meeting in 2008 between Chidambaram, then finance minister, and his telecom counterpart, A Raja, that brought concurrence on spectrum pricing.

BJP says it wants an inquiry on how no records were kept of the meeting between the ministers. “There can be nothing short of an explanation from the prime minister that can explain why documentary evidence was not kept of the crucial meeting,” said BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.

The BJP leaders have alleged the meeting between the two took place on May 29, 2008, and the two ministers had formed an “agreed position” on spectrum pricing and later informed the Prime Minister. And, that this decision was taken four months after the allocation of spectrum licences.

Sitharaman alleged the involvement of senior Congress leaders was now coming out. On behalf of the party, she questioned Chidambaram’s advice to the Prime Minister in January 2008, alleging motives, that spectrum allocations in future should be auctioned but earlier ones be treated as a closed chapter.

The BJP spokesperson also noted the decision of the Union cabinet in 2003 which stated that fixing of the price for allocation of spectrum would be done in consultation with the department of telecommunications and with the approval of the ministry of finance.

Govt’s take
Defending Home Minister P Chidambaram, Telecom Minister Sibal said he had “no role anywhere” in the 2G spectrum allocation controversy and demands for his resignation were a “conspiracy” against him.

He added the minutes of a meeting between Chidambaram and former telecom minister, A Raja, had not been recorded because it was not required.

“The demand for Chidambaram’s resignation is a conspiracy. He had no role anywhere. Whatever and whenever decisions he took, he did after consultations,” Sibal added.