“When the 2G issue was first raised by the media, my point of view wasn’t sought by anyone except The Hindu . And that’s the reason for writing this book,” said former Telecom Minister and DMK leader A. Raja at the launch of his book ‘2G: Avizhum Unmaigal’.
Stating that he had decided to present his version before the people, Mr. Raja said, “What I have said in the interviews given in The Hindu is the same thing that I said in the court, which is what Saini (Judge OP Saini) has said.” He further reminisced how DMK chief M. Karunanidhi chastised him for taking questions standing on the witness stand.
“I explained to Thalaivar (M. Karunanidhi) why I had to do it. Thalapathy (M.K. Stalin) also asked me the same thing. I said that this case requires me to stand on the witness stand,” he said.
Celebration of freedom
DMK Working President M.K. Stalin said the event was not just about the launch of the book, but was an event that celebrated the freedom of his sister M. Kanimozhi, and Mr. Raja. “If I have to state it in a single line, it is about celebrating the freedom of the DMK. The 2G case was a concerted attempt to tarnish the image of the DMK by foisting a false case on us,” he said.
N. Ram, Chairman of THG Publishing Private Limited, said the organisation had faced stiff criticism and trolling for publishing four interviews of Mr. A. Raja regarding the 2G spectrum allocation scam.
He said, “Apart from these, we also published the letters exchanged between A. Raja and then PM Manmohan Singh without comment. We were trolled and attacked on social media and by a few other media houses. There were personal attacks and it was even called paid news. This did not deter us from publishing factual information on various issues involved in the so-called 2G spectrum allocation scam.”
