BJP wonders over CBI not finding evidence against UPA leaders

The CBI today informed the Supreme Court in the 2G case hearing that it has found violation of norms by Arun Shourie and Pramod Mahajan, who were Telecom Ministers in the NDA government, and maintained that the role of then Finance Minister Jaswant Singh also needs to be examined.

"As far as BJP is concerned we are very clear that any investigation can be done during NDA regime as far as telecom allocation is concerned. We have ourselves said in Parliament that the 2G case can be investigated from 1998 itselfs. We are proud of the expansion of mobile and telephone connectivity during our regime and we have nothing to hide," BJP Chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

However, he insisted that the role of UPA government, especially that of then Finance Minister P Chidambaram, former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran and officials in the PMO should also be probed.

"What amazes us is the rank double standards and discrimination by the CBI in spite of voluminous evidence on record showing the intimidation by Maran of a particular company. Yet CBI is saying there is no evidence," Prasad said.

He insisted that there was voluminous evidence to indict Maran, Chidambaram and others.

"No licence was given to Aircel for two years. Then Maxis Communication was made to take over Aircel. Then Maxis through a conduit company invested in the family concern of Maran," Prasad said, adding that it was only then that Aircel got the licence.

BJP alleged that despite all these evidences, the CBI is "deliberately ignoring" the facts.

"It is patently clear that there is discrimination," Prasad said.

He pointed out that UPA government had ignored a decision taken by the NDA cabinet in 2003 that spectrum allocation should be done only after consulting the Finance Ministry as far as pricing is concerned.

"The then Finance Secretary and other finance ministry officials had clearly stated that auction should be done (in 2G allocation). Why did the then Finance Minister (Chidambaram) sit over the file..... The spectrum was sought to be sold at 2001 prices," Prasad said.

He asked why the PMO wanted to be kept at an arm's length and demanded that its role should also be probed.

"If despite this volumnous evidence CBI is not investigating these matters, it is a very serious matter. BJP shall expose this sheer double standards," Prasad said.