RS MP hits back at Tata, 2G row gets murkier

Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar today accused Tata group chief Ratan Tata of 'ducking' the 'main issues' in the 2G controversy and making 'intensely personal' attacks on him. Letter wars in 2G row

The 2G spectrum allocation controversy has sparked a no-holds barred corporate war. Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a former telecom entrepreneur, has responded to Tata group chairman Ratan Tata's open letter, accusing him of "ducking" the "main issues" in the 2G controversy and making 'intensely personal' attacks on him.

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Tata, one of the country's most powerful businessmen, on Thursday denied allegations Chandrasekhar had made in a letter on Tuesday that the telephone unit of the Tata empire had unfairly gained from the government's telecoms policy.

Tata also denied allegations that his company benefited in 2G spectrum alloaction scandal.

"Your affiliation to a particular political party is well-known and it appears that political aspirations and their endeavour to embarrass the Prime Minister and the ruling party may well have been the motivation behind your letter," Tata told Chandrasekhar, who was backed by the BJP and JD(S) four years ago during his election to the Rajya Sabha.

Chandrasekhar responded to Tata's rebuttals on Thursday by writing a second letter in which he accused him of "attempting to shoot the messenger".

"Your response is a typical one that ducks the main issues and instead attempts to shoot the messenger!

"On facts, your letter is not just exceptionally weak, but in fact, refuses to engage on the issues that I had raised - the yawning gap between what you say in public and what your companies do. While those remain unanswered, I will certainly reply shortly with my response. I promise to rebut your allegations, claims and innuendo - chapter and verse in the public domain," said Chandrasekhar.

Chandrasekhar's letter to Tata | Tata's response | Chandrasekhar writes again

(With AFP and PTI inputs)