"Spectrum allocation carried out as per rules"

Reiterating that the entire 2G spectrum allocation process was carried out as per rules and regulations, Communications and Information Technology Minister A. Raja on Friday said there was no question of his resigning from the Cabinet as he had done nothing wrong.

“The question [of resigning] does not arise at all… we will prove [before court] that everything has been done according to the law,” Mr. Raja told journalists here when asked about his response to the Opposition demand for his resignation.

Declining to comment on the spectrum allocation issue and about the Centre's affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday that defended 2G-related policies adopted by his Ministry, Mr. Raja said: “The entire matter is sub-judice… it may not be fair on my part to comment on this. Whatever I have done is according to the law.”

Referring to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General that reportedly put the loss to the exchequer from the entire 2G spectrum allocation process carried out in early 2008 at over Rs.1.76 lakh crore, Mr. Raja pointed out that the CAG made similar harsh observations after the 1999 National Telecom Policy, under which the government changed its existing ‘licence fee' regime to a ‘revenue share' regime. “After that CAG report, there has been no change in the telecom policy. The same policy is being followed ever since 1999, including by all my predecessors,” the Minister asserted.

Asked about AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa's offer to the Congress to dump the DMK from UPA and her promise of “unconditional support” to save the government from any kind of uncertainty, Mr. Raja said: “She has no moral right to make such statements. She herself is fighting corruption charges… she is the only leader who has protracted proceedings in corruption cases filed against her for 10 to 12 years.”