Former Indian Telecom minister was arrested with other officials on Wednesday over a massive graft scam. The arrest of MR.ANDIMUTHU RAJA a parliamentary ally of the ruling congress party may create rift between coalition partners.
A spokesman of central bureau of investigation told that due to irregularities in the allocation of mobile licenses and spectrum the former telecom minister ANDIMUTHU RAJA was arrested.
The Indian government may lose revenues up to U.S$39 billion. It is the biggest scandal in the decades, the opposition has also blocked parliament since November over the mobile phone licenses scandal.
The rules were changed, to favor certain companies and the licenses were sold to ineligible companies on a first- come first- serve basis on throw away prices instead of via an auction.
The opposition in India accused 78 year old prime minister of failing to act against RAJA a low caste politician from a regional party in south India, when complaints were raised.
But the congress party defended SINGH. However, the scandal could over shadow congress image. It will also affect the campaign of state election this year.
MR.SINGH prime minister of India is finding very difficult to save his image of “MR.CLEAN” despite the key power broker of Indian politics and chief of congress party Mrs. Sonia Gandhi came to the rescue against allegation contending that the Prime Minister MANMOHAN SINGH had failed to act and intervene when his telecom minister sold second generation (2G) licenses at very nominal prices.
The congress party spokesman ABHISHEK SINGHVI told media person that the arrest of former telecom minister A.RAJA will not affect the credibility of the prime minister or government. It has allowed the law to take its own course, independently and objectively. Further he said and rejected the suggestions that the entire government needed to be blamed for the scam on the principle of collective responsibility.” Collective responsibility in the constitutional sense has nothing to do with criminal liability.”
At the same time bhartiya janta party spokesperson RAJIV PRATAP RUDY said “The arrest is too little and too late. It is very unfair to say that RAJA alone had gulped U.S$39 billion. Who are the rest of the people? Bhartiya janta party is to know that.” The people of India says please don’t give credit to the government for the arrest. It has to answer many questions before this finally come to an end. This money is of TAX payers of India and they want to have this money back from “looters.”
