UPA misused telecom policy: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday blamed the UPA government for “misusing” the telecom policy and said the Supreme Court order on the 2G spectrum allocation was similar to parliament’s Public Accounts Committee report on the issue.

A day after the Supreme Court gave an order cancelling licences of 122 telecom companies that were granted licence during former telecom minister A. Raja’s regime, BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said: “It is a very important judgment which has many dimensions and it has several implications for governance and accountability of the government.”

The BJP leader blamed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and said the responsibility of taking action is that of the prime minister and the cabinet.

“In case the prime minister doesn’t take any action, then he would be held responsible. The prime minister owes an explanation to the nation. He was in the know of everything,” he said.

Joshi, who heads the PAC which is examining the CAG report on 2G spectrum allocation, said there were similarities in the draft PAC report and the Supreme Court judgement.

The opposition also reiterated its demand for the sacking of Home Minister P. Chidambaram, alleging his involvement in the case when he was finance minister.

“The first step that the prime minister should now take is sack Chidambaram. Any delay on the PM’s part now will only lower his own credibility,” he said.

Replying to the statement by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal that the telecom policy being followed was formulated by the BJP-led NDA government in 2003, the BJP leader said the UPA government had misused the policy.

BJP also said that there was “inner conflict” in the UPA government and this had led to the present crisis.