'Freedom 251' smartphone scheme a fraud: Congress

The party said the smartphone scheme will be the biggest scam of the millennium during the rule of BJP

Alleging that 'Freedom 251' smartphone scheme was a "fraud", Congress MP Pramod Tiwari in Rajya Sabha today strongly objected to the presence of BJP leaders at the launch of the scheme to sell smartphones at a price of Rs 251 and sought a reply from the government.

"I am making a definite allegation. This government is going to do a big scam. This is going to be the biggest scam of the millennium during the rule of BJP.

"The product has been launched by BJP leaders. This is a scam in which leaders of BJP are involved. They talk about 'Make in India' but what they are doing is 'Make in Fraud'," Tiwari said during Zero Hour and expressed doubts over the claim of the company to provide mobile phones to consumers at just Rs 251.

He said six crore bookings have already been made for the phone and even at the rate of Rs 251 each, the mobile company must have collected hundreds of crores of rupees.

Demanding that the money collected by the company should be kept secure, Tiwari said even the Director of the company has said that the minimum cost of the phone is Rs 1400 and wondered how can the gadget be then sold at just Rs 251.

Tiwari said if it is possible to get a phone at Rs 251, then how can others are charging Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 for a mobile set.

"Either this is wrong or that is wrong. The government has its share either in this or that. Government should answer," Tiwari said.

Ringing Bells, a NOIDA based start-up, which launched the mobile had said they had developed it with support from the government.

Soon after the launch ceremony where a veteran BJP leader was present, doubts were raised about the genuineness of the company's claim to provide phone at the rate of Rs 251.