NEW DELHI -2G issue: BJP now targets PM over Maran's Letter

After going hammer and tongs at home minister P Chidambaram 2G spectrum scam, the BJP has now trained guns on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over a letter written to him by former telecom minister DayanidhiMaran asking him to stay off spectrum pricing issue.

(Former textile minister and DMKI leader Dayanidhi Maran forced Aircel owner to sell to a Malaysian firmduing histenure He resigned form the union cabinet.)

The letter allegedly suggests that it was the Prime Minister himself who had allowed the telecom minister to keep spectrum pricing out of the terms of reference of the Group of the Group of Ministers in 2006.

In January 2006, the PM had approved, in principle, a GoM to look into the release of additional spectrum from the defence ministry for private telecom players. The group's terms of reference included the issue of pricing of scarce 2G Spectrum.


The GoM was supposed to submit its recommendations in June 2006, after which the government was to decide a policy and price for selling the spectrum.

Prime Minister met Dayanidhi Maran of February 1 and then he allegedly allowed the Telecom Ministry to keep out of 2G pricing.

Referring to the letter, BJP spokesperson Prakash Jayadekar said that the Prime Minister owes an explanation to the nation as it is not a matter of being a mute spectator, but of complicity.

BJP's allegations com three days ahead of PMO's explaination of its stand on record to the Supreme Court.