The Supreme Court judgment declaring the allocation of 2G spectrum illegal and cancelling all 122 licences allotted during the tenure of the former Telecom Minister, A. Raja, is historic. It is a befitting reply to brazen, broad, daylight plunder. The verdict should be an eye-opener to the UPA government, which is paralysed by inaction and favouritism. There is a lesson in this landmark ruling for business houses too. Business without ethics is a risky affair.
The spirit of the judgment will have long-lasting positive effects, and boost the morale of the common man.
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February 2, 2012 was a red letter day for independent India. The apex court of the land dealt a mortal blow to the criminal nexus between the government and the corporate sector by quashing the 122 telecom licences illegally granted by the UPA government. The nation is indebted to Justice A.K. Ganguly who, on the eve of his retirement, gave a wonderful parting gift to the nation. The hue and cry over how MNCs will be discouraged from investing in India as a result of this verdict is pure baloney. The truth is the judgment has shown the world that the rule of law is supreme in India. It is also a warning to the corporate sector that crony capitalism will not work anymore.
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Mumbai
The judgment is a huge blow to the UPA government, as spectrum allocation was part of its policy which the court described as “illegal, arbitrary and against the public interest.” The government has no moral right to continue in office.
R. Jishi,
Kollam
Justices G.S. Singhvi and Ganguly have rightly lauded some enlightened citizens who have been constantly fighting for clean governance. Indeed, the nation would have never known of the 2G issue but for them.
The silver lining for the UPA government is that it has been given four months to reallocate the 2G licences. If it resorts to auction, its depleted treasury will have a financial windfall, and the messy telecom sector will attract more investors who believe in the rule of law and fair business practices.
J. Akshay,
Bangalore
I wish many “enlightened citizens” would spring up across the country. It would be wrong to argue that the verdict will have a negative impact on international investors. In fact, it will only add to the credibility of the judiciary and our democratic structure. It may even force investors to read between the lines carefully and have a background verification of the promoter before investing.
A. Ganesh,
Madurai
What we need to realise is that boosting our telecom sector using fraudulent methods will not speak highly of our governance, ethical standards and the kind of business environment we create for our investors. The verdict will send out a strong message that we have zero-tolerance for corrupt and illegal practices and that we believe in providing a transparent, level-playing field for our investors.
Rohit R. Nair,
Chandigarh
The judgment has surpassed all expectations. It signifies the victory of every institution — the media, Parliament, political parties, individuals and the judiciary — that played a role in exposing the scam. It marks the finest hour of our democracy. It is also significant for showing that existing laws are more than adequate to fight corruption and that it is the people, not laws per se , that matter.
H.R. Bapu Satyanarayana,
Mysore
People's faith in the judiciary has gone up considerably. But the saddest part is that our elected representatives, in whom the people placed their greatest faith, have betrayed their confidence. It was left to the judiciary to come to their rescue.
N.G.R. Prasad,
Chennai
The description of Kapil Sibal as “a combative Communications Minister” (“Sibal defends PM, dumps Raja,” Feb. 3) was apt. Anyone with common sense will disagree with Mr. Sibal's attempt to pass the blame on the NDA government. It should have been the UPA government's endeavour to put things on the right track. Statements like “We only followed it …” are certainly not expected from a person of Mr. Sibal's calibre, who is a Minister in the ‘Clean' Manmohan government.
Raghavendra A. Choudhari,
Bangalore