The Communist Party of India (Marxist) said on Wednesday that with the arrest of the former Communications Minister, A. Raja, the aspect of 2G spectrum allocation scam had to be pursued, and reiterated the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe.
“With the arrest of A. Raja, the aspect of the 2G scam has to be pursued. Steps have to be taken to uncover the way the whole system has been manipulated, to deal with the licences illegally given and to recover the lost revenue. Above all, there has to be a comprehensive inquiry through a JPC,” CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat told The Hindu .
CPI national secretary D. Raja said Mr. Raja's arrest was just the beginning, and it could trigger a series of questions on the role of the previous Communications Ministers and the Prime Minister's Office.
“Re-examine policy”
Bangalore Staff Reporter writes:
The arrest reinforced the urgent need for a JPC probe, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury told journalists here.
Mr. Yechury said a JPC would be required to not only book the culprits of the Rs.1.6 lakh-crore scam but also re-examine the telecom policy. New mechanisms and laws need to be put in place to save the country from future scams. Only a JPC had the authority to facilitate this.
The 2G scandal was not only the “mother of all scams” but was also indicative of a system badly manipulated. There was “obviously much more to be unearthed,” he added.
According to him, while the arrest had come “a bit too late in the day,” it vindicated the CPI(M)'s demand for a JPC.
