Opposition fumes

His indication of agreeing to a JPC probe, also received flak for, if it  had come earlier, the opposition believes, the winter session would have been  saved. BJP President Nitin Gadkari said: “In a way, an effort has been made to cover-up the corruption. He has expressed his helplessness.”

Gadkari said that the PM was indirectly trying to shield former telecom minister A Raja. “For the first time, PM has said all decisions taken by A Raja had the support of the Finance Minister. What support is there of the UPA and the Congress in this? This means everybody is responsible.”

“Coalition dharma cannot mean support to corruption. And coalition is related only to 2G. What is the relation between coalition and the case of Isro (S-band allocation), Commonwealth Games and Adarsh cases?” he asked.

Gadkari maintained that accusing the opposition for the stalemate on JPC issue is “unjust”. “If today the government has indicated that it is ready to think on a JPC, then why did it waste one month (winter session),” he said.

The BJP President also termed the comparison of the 2G Spectrum prices with subsidy for fertilizers, gas, oil and food grain as unfair, “2G spectrum allocation was not subsidy but a way of making money”.

The Left reacted sharply on this comparison. Senior CPM leader Sitarm Yechury said:  “This is something that is completely unacceptable. Subsidising the poor is one aspect but subsidising the rich and saying that it is necessary, is just naked loot of the country. ”

In an equally scathing attack on the Prime Minister, CPI secretary D Raja said: “He should explain how corporate houses made such huge profits. It was virtually a loot. The PM did not answer that question. That is totally strange.”