Jaitley attacks Chidambaram, govt on 2G

Even as the role of home minister P Chidambaram — who was the finance minister in 2008 — has come under the spot in the 2G spectrum controversy, BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Tuesday demanded an investigation into his role. HT reports.

Even as the role of home minister P Chidambaram — who was the finance minister in 2008 — has come under the spot in the 2G spectrum controversy, BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Tuesday demanded an investigation into his role.

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“Chidambaram has gone into a silent mode, it would better if he answers all these issues otherwise the presumptions are against him,” Jaitley said while interacting with reporters at Indian Women’s Press Corps.

Jaitley said had the then finance minister and ministry been careful, the loss to the exchequer because of the sale of the 2G spectrum at 2001 prices could have been averted.

“It would be better that Congress party spokesperson answer that question. It is not an internal matter of the Congress party. It deals with the public exchequer and ... loss caused to country,” he said.

The BJP leader alleged that Chidambaram had changed his position on the allocation of 2G spectrum — the finance ministry had allegedly first backed auction and later said that auction be used in future and the 2 G matter be treated as ‘closed’ — and demanded answers as to why he did it.

Claiming the Congress had lost credibility, Jaitley said the party leadership, in the aftermath of the finance ministry’s March 25 note to the PMO on the case, is trying to find a patchwork solution to the crisis.