Congress scores another self-goal: Jaitley on telecom scam

He said the impropriety took place during UPA regime and they are questioning the current government

Terming the allegations of a telecom scam of Rs 46,000 crore as empty rhetoric, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley (pictured) on Friday said the Congress has perfected the art of scoring “self-goals” with the latest being on the telecom issue as the impropriety took place during the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) regime and they are questioning the current government.

Jaitley said a CAG (comptroller and auditor general) report of February had stated that the six telecom service providers, between 2006-07 and 2009-10, had under-reported their revenues to the extent of Rs 46,000 crore, depleting the share of the Union government in licence fee and spectrum user charges by about Rs 5,000 crore.

The CAG report was received by the telecom department in February and its supporting documents were received in June and these are being scrutinised so the telecom department can take further action in the matter.  

By parliamentary procedure, the CAG report is now pending before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the finance minister said.

He said the telecom department, notwithstanding the fact the issue is pending before the PAC, is processing these documents and will take action.

"What is act of omission and commission by the present Government? An impropriety took place during the UPA Government for which the present Government will take action," he added.