Two-G (2G) Spectrum Scam Tapes and follow-up

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 11 Feb 2011 21:18

Isn't it a crime to leak actual Cabinet quotations? Its covered by Official Secrets Act. The gist can be conveyed but not actual words and who spoke them.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 11 Feb 2011 21:18

joshvajohn wrote:I think Swamy should be put in jail for at least two to three years for complicating the issues. Justice is taking its due course in Raja' case and it will bring out certain evidences out linked to whoever was involved or related or ordered. Swamy playing into populism and twisting angles he plays between politicians and thus make this issue complicated and complex not to pin point a particular person and then through him everyone who are involved. Thereby he is obstructing justice in one way or the other. We have to wait until Raja himself comes out with names to pursue this further and other officials will certainly come out at one stage.

I have met MP Dr Swamy myself last June. He was already preparing for this expose and he was warning about the foreign companies taking the contracts.
We need atleast 1000 Swamy in the nation and big support from such people. We need massive support in the entire nation for such issues.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 11 Feb 2011 21:25

RamaY wrote:^ are you guys for real?

You want law to take its course, the same way it did in Bofors, Telgi, Purulia and many other scams? And you want to limit the number of culprits as too many culprits would complicate matters?

Joke of the century, I would say!

We have somebody who wants to fit the corruption inside a box and thinking that this is not a political issue.
Once an office is held it becomes a political issue.

Some posters think rest of us a stupid

Vikas · Post by **Vikas** » 11 Feb 2011 21:33

^ But guys in all seriousness what is the max sentence a guy like Raja or small fry like Madhu Koda
can get if the corruption charges are proven ?

VinayB · Post by **VinayB** » 11 Feb 2011 21:41

One possible scenario :
- armed with arrests and reports of 'grilling', Government gets aggressive in budget session.
- parliament is disrupted over SIT report on Modi.
- identity of some of those arrested on 2G gets used in some quarters (this is already being done in TN)
- TN and WB elections.
- based on results, UPA3 takes shape. new entrants could be ADMK. over time, JDU.

vijayk · Post by **vijayk** » 11 Feb 2011 23:04

http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/s ... 110211.htm
I will implicate Sonia Gandhi in 2G scam

More power to swami ... Go swamy go... You are our only hope. I am sure sonia would like to see his fate end just like scindia, pilot, YSR, priyanka 's sister in law, father in law, brother in law.. But I hope he ends her crony capitalism, media mafia. The end for Dienasty can't come soon enough for me.

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 12 Feb 2011 00:00

Arnab on Times Now reveals

1) PMO accepts that they were talking to Devas for last 9 months; during this period prima facie the contract was canceled (as claimed by GoI)
2) The contract has a secrecy clause neither party can reveal anything in the contract under any condition to anyone and when the contract expires it is to be destroyed
3) The case for 2G method of contract execution and S-band spectrum is exactly the same.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 12 Feb 2011 00:07

Does the secrecy clause have any legal standing when its used for the committing a crime to defraud the nation?

I find it intereting that politicians who don't obey municipal laws are quoting secrecy clauses in contracts to commit crime of defrauding the nation's treasury!
A contract is for legal business not illegal business. Hence the recourse to contracts law is itself not valid.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 12 Feb 2011 00:08

VikasRaina wrote:^ But guys in all seriousness what is the max sentence a guy like Raja or small fry like Madhu Koda
can get if the corruption charges are proven ?

It is a different matter. What our dear friend suggesting was to NOT include the die-nasty families in the cases; which is 22CT BS.

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 12 Feb 2011 00:13

ramana wrote:Does the secrecy clause have any legal standing when its used for the committing a crime to defraud the nation?

I find it intereting that politicians who don't obey municipal laws are quoting secrecy clauses in contracts to commit crime of defrauding the nation's treasury!
A contract is for legal business not illegal business. Hence the recourse to contracts law is itself not valid.

Well no politician was on the show to defend the contract, from Congress that is.

The issue of details of contracts was with Arnab because he had "obtained" it from some place. The contract was not given out through RTI because the Govt claimed that it was secret.

Sanku · Post by **Sanku** » 12 Feb 2011 00:14

BTW, names of ex NSA, principle secy to PM, cab sec are all being waved about in 2S right now.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 12 Feb 2011 00:25

Sanku, MKN must be lamneting like Cardinal Wolsey the Chancleoor of Henry VIII,

"Had I served my maker with half the zeal I served my master, HE would not have left me to my enemies in my old age!"

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 12 Feb 2011 05:57

Sanku wrote:Arnab on Times Now reveals

1) PMO accepts that they were talking to Devas for last 9 months; during this period prima facie the contract was canceled (as claimed by GoI)
2) The contract has a secrecy clause neither party can reveal anything in the contract under any condition to anyone and when the contract expires it is to be destroyed
3) The case for 2G method of contract execution and S-band spectrum is exactly the same.

If you have a video link, please give it.

Here is another timesnow report, very explosive: http://www.timesnow.tv/Devas-ISRO-expos ... 365041.cms

Apparently some really big guns from the US and Germany have been lobbying for the deal. The names mentioned are Madeline Albright, Ex-NSA Sandy Berger.

The mole within the PMO dealing with them was Prithviraj Chauhan, presently CM of Maharashtra.

ManjaM · Post by **ManjaM** » 12 Feb 2011 06:02

Pranav wrote:
Sanku wrote:Arnab on Times Now reveals

1) PMO accepts that they were talking to Devas for last 9 months; during this period prima facie the contract was canceled (as claimed by GoI)
2) The contract has a secrecy clause neither party can reveal anything in the contract under any condition to anyone and when the contract expires it is to be destroyed
3) The case for 2G method of contract execution and S-band spectrum is exactly the same.
If you have a video link, please give it.

Here is another timesnow report, very explosive: http://www.timesnow.tv/Devas-ISRO-expos ... 365041.cms

Apparently some really big guns from the US and Germany have been lobbying for the deal. The names mentioned are Madeline Albright, Ex-NSA Sandy Berger.

The mole within the PMO dealing with them was Prithviraj Chauhan, presently CM of Maharashtra.

Aha, the big fish are making an appearance!! ISRO officers who screwed up are small fry, little minions happy with 5 star party and box of imported chocolates, here are the main culprits. I am hoping a solid line can be established to PMO and maybe S G . Even scams have a poetic justice embedded in them.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 12 Feb 2011 06:05

vijayk wrote:http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/s ... 110211.htm
I will implicate Sonia Gandhi in 2G scam

More power to swami ... Go swamy go... You are our only hope. I am sure sonia would like to see his fate end just like scindia, pilot, YSR, priyanka 's sister in law, father in law, brother in law.. But I hope he ends her crony capitalism, media mafia. The end for Dienasty can't come soon enough for me.

Excerpts from Swamy interview:

"Just wait and see. Halfway through 2-G spectrum case I will bring in Sonia Gandhi into it. Nothing is going to go wrong in this case. This case is going to make a modern, new and clean India," claims Janata Party president Dr Subramanian Swamy, one of the petitioners in the 2G spectrum scam, which is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation under the Supreme Court's supervision. ...

Swami's worry is that Swan's shares have been sold to people with connections to Pakistan and Chinese investors, raising security concerns.

Swamy has strong reservations about Balwa and his connections in Mumbai but he says, "I may disagree with Ratan Tata's judgment but I don't doubt his patriotism." ...

Since the last ten years his target is Sonia Gandhi against whom he has filed a case of smuggling of Indian antiques. He also took up the issue of his foreign origin and the issue of a foreign-born person's eligibility to become prime minister.

Swamy has umpteen times made allegations that Sonia's real name is Antonia and her family background is not what she claims to be. He has spoken so many things against her but he has never been challenged.

His favourite line is: "You journalists are ignorant."

He tells us, "There is no defamation law for a public person. I have won all the cases filed against me. Most people in political life are ignorant they don't know anything they just sit in drawing rooms and make guesses they go to cocktail parties and gossip when Jayalalitha filed hundreds of defamation cases against me, I came to the Supreme Court and read the law. The United States Supreme Court in 1964 has given a judgment that if a person in public life decides to sue for defamation then the onus is on him to prove that the charges levelled are false. Normally, if you are not in public life the defamer has to prove that charges are true. Here the burden is reversed. Recently, Karunanidhi issued me a notice I tore it up his notice in public before the cameras and threw it in dustbin."

He adds, "The law protects me. This is in the public domain out of ignorance people keep giving opinions and discourage you. I speak bluntly. I get irritated to see people's ignorance. I don't speak diplomatically."

When asked, "Do you know people sometime say you are crazy?' Dr Swamy says, 'That's a fact! Only crazy people bring change. I don't want among the sane who are stooges of people in authority today. If that is sanity, I don't want that kind of sanity."

When rediff.com asked him, "Was there any pressure on you to not move forward in the 2G spectrum case?" Swamy's reply was astounding.

"See, there is a general impression amongst all crooks that if you offer Swamy money, he will take the money and still continue, so no use giving him money!"

Then, giving a playful look, he says, "Since, I am Brahmin getting dakshina is my birthright. If anyone gives me money I will take it. But I will not do their work. I do exactly what I think is right. I play a role of an ancient Brahmin. Today Brahmins are connected to birth. It's nonsense. It has nothing to do with birth. You have to have vidya (knowledge) and you have to have courage. You should not have any personal wealth. I don't have any personal wealth."

He adds, "Ask Roxna. She is constantly complaining that I don't care for money.

She being a good Parsi keeps account of every penny spent. Anyway, I will not take any money for consideration. That's why in these 40 years nobody has charged me with anything."

Swamy's political operations and legal activism is too intertwined making it complex and cunning.

In the 2G spectrum case he wants to protect Prime Minister Singh but wants to see Sonia Gandhi implicated. He speaks ill of the Bhartiya Janata Party and its leaders but he enjoys backing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

When asked about his feelings for Dr Singh, he gave a political answer.

"I have said clearly that Manmohan Singh is like Bhishmacharya who watched Draupadi being disrobed. That was unforgivable. This man is also without a spine. But I will not do anything or remove him because a vacancy created will not be filled by the people of India but by Sonia Gandhi."

In 2004, Swamy went to court and even to then President A P J Abdul Kalam to prevent Sonia Gandhi from becoming prime minister.

He is of the view that, "She herself can't become prime minister because of legal bar but she will make her son or someone else who will be worse than Dr Singh."

He says, "I am playing for removal of UPA and in the process Dr Singh will also be removed but I won't be party to anything under which only Dr Singh gets removed."

When asked why he has a soft corner for Dr Singh, he says, "He is a man of integrity. He has personal integrity. He is not the man fit for this job. He has no political backing so he is totally dependent on Sonia Gandhi. You can't have throne of India occupied by a boneless wonder. No matter how good you are its not enough. You must be a person who is able to take risks and make decisions. A man should not look over someone's shoulder. From day one we know he is not an independent person. His background is bureaucratic. It's not political. I know him for so many years. In the present UPA system, I know of no gutsy, no decent or no political person who can be prime minister. They have to be a rubber stamp of Sonia Gandhi."

Venkarl · Post by **Venkarl** » 12 Feb 2011 07:41

OT-- Is there a genuine reason to hate Dr.Swamy for an aam aadmi? or do I have to be INC's boot licker to hate him?

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 12 Feb 2011 07:56

^ He brought down the first Vajpayee govt and caused a lot of expenditure to the nation needlessly.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 12 Feb 2011 08:02

And Kargil was happening right then.

Dhiman · Post by **Dhiman** » 12 Feb 2011 08:20

somnath wrote:On telecom, dont think any government can claim to be "squeaky clean"

All governments in the history of Independent India, at all levels, spanning all departments have been downright dirty when it comes to corruption.

I think Swamy should be put in jail for at least two to three years for complicating the issues.

~~Lack of sleep sir by any chance?~~

On second thought Sir, while your statement may be a bit of hyperbole, I know what you mean. The sad thing is that this problem won't be solved overnight, it will take at least a decade of hard and determined work by people like Swamy and those who give support and encouragement to people like Swamy.

Although I would agree that this hunt for corrupt needs to be given some kind of self-sustaining critical momentum. It can still die out. I was hoping for a a nuke explosion, but it seems like some sort of steady state is already in the process of being reached. Unless you are planning an Egyptian style revolution sir, there is a long hard road ahead. But at least the corrupt are on defensive. That itself is a major achievement. Hopefully someone like Swamy will come along and give another revolutionary boost to this hunt.

I miss the massive rallies of the seventies & eighties

, people just don't have passion these days. Time to invite some Egyptian protesters.

madhu · Post by **madhu** » 12 Feb 2011 08:49

VikasRaina wrote:But on second thought, If the intent was to crown Rahul Gandhi as PM around 2012, SG would not have let all these scammers run amok.
Even a fool in politics understands that once you are declared corrupt/incompetent, The tag does not wash away so easily.
Even today Rajiv Gandhi is synonyms with Bofors scandal and VP singh and IKG as incompetent.
How could Kangress leadership let this happen right under their nose. This was not the last time they were going to fight for PM'ship of India.
With the tag of worst and most corrupt government, How is Kangress going to crown the eldest son of Gandhi dynasty on the throne now.

Something just doesn't gel here? how come.... i see this is a clear but sadly failed strategy of SG.

sonia new that UPA will not get elected for second time. so get into loot as much as possible. at the end days she even tried a lot to clear Mr. Q's and boffors episode. the strategy was when NDA/BJP comes to power will be in no position to revert the wrongdoing in the case and will be forced to follow the same path which UPA ash layed down. if NDA/BJP would try to leak it will be on their own heads. More over agreements of secrecy are beaning made every time... just like in S band so that this will remain locked for ever.

it is same old strategy .... wolf eating flesh and wiping its hands on to goat and when caught, putting the blame on goat that goat ate the flesh....

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Feb 2011 09:43

Shourie's allegations regrettable: Congress

Coming out in defence of the Prime Minister, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said that it was “regrettable” that “such sweeping allegations were made against a person of impeccable integrity like the Prime Minister..."

The Congress springs up to the defence of Ms. Sonia Gandhi or Mr. Man Mohan Singh whenever their names are mentioned. Neither of them, by themselves, has the inclination to say even a word on this matter.

And, this continuing charade of 'impeccable integrity' is irksome. He may well be personally, but when he, as the Prime Minister, kept quiet for two long years even after Subramaniam Swamy and Arun Shourie had informed him of the massive scam, and after himself being aware of the facts, that person's integrity will be questioned. His latest call to root out corruption is therefore a joke when he himself seemed to have condoned it under his very nose.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 12 Feb 2011 10:58

SSridhar wrote: And, this continuing charade of 'impeccable integrity' is irksome. He may well be personally, but when he, as the Prime Minister, kept quiet for two long years even after Subramaniam Swamy and Arun Shourie had informed him of the massive scam, and after himself being aware of the facts, that person's integrity will be questioned. His latest call to root out corruption is therefore a joke when he himself seemed to have condoned it under his very nose.

As Swamy puts it -

"You can't have throne of India occupied by a boneless wonder."

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Feb 2011 12:48

Ratan Tata's hand-written letter to Karunanidhi under CBI scanner

Amid the reams of documents they are scanning, the agencies probing the 2G scam are analysing the contents of a three-year-old handwritten letter: one sent by Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata to DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi - on November 13, 2007.

The missive, which lauds A Raja’s policies as telecom minister, was - interestingly - carried personally by Niira Radia, handling corporate relations for the Tatas. In short, Radia was close to the DMK much before Raja again got a Cabinet berth in UPA-2.

A part of the letter reads thus: “On the issue of spectrum also, his (Raja’s) stated policies, for most part, have been legally sound, rational and well reasoned.” Tata also sought the CM’s support to Raja as a minister.

Click here to read Tata's letter.

The Tatas have defended the letter. Tata Teleservices Vice President Rajeev Narayan said on Thursday that the letter was written “at the time of a public controversy created by powerful vested interest groups within the industry, motivated by policy announcements made by the then Minister, Mr A Raja”.

Also, the letter was “written well before any of the actions, which are currently the subject matter of controversy and investigations, were taken”.

In a statement, Narayan asserted that “the referred letter relates to various policy announcements on spectrum and other issues which were embodied in the spirit of NTP ’99, and yet not implemented for years, despite for the most part being legally sound, rational and well-reasoned.

“The letter also underlines the fact that the said policy announcements except on a matter pending in court relating to one operator would demolish the powerful technology bias which was inhibiting free growth for all operators, “if done correctly and fairly… “Subsequently, the Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) and Delhi High Court have upheld the dual-technology policy. In April 2009, TDSAT had upheld government’s policy of spectrum allocation for dual technology, under which, it has allocated GSM spectrum to Anil Ambani Group company RCom and Tatas. Both of them are also offering CDMA mobile services.”

geeth · Post by **geeth** » 12 Feb 2011 14:39

To me it appears that there is something more than that meets the eye in ISRO S-Band spectrum deal. or else why would so many foreigners, particularly Americans be so concerned about it? Name of Medeline Halfbright immediately connects me to the Saankhya Vahini project..time to look at whether ISRO has already been made sub servient to US interests.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 12 Feb 2011 18:12

Very highly recommended interview of Arun Shourie by Karan Thapar: http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/143118/bjp ... ourie.html (transcript at http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bjp-not-inte ... 37-64.html)

Kapil Sibal must be regretting having taken on Shourie.

Another clarification from Shourie:

The journalist-turned politician, who was telecom minister between January 2003 and May 2004, says allocation of Unified Access Licenses during the time was as per the rulebook. "During the 12-month period (November 2003 to November 2004), a total of 28 new UAS licenses were issued. These licenses were issued over a period of time, not simultaneously on the same day. The applications were processed immediately and Letters of Intent used to be issued promptly. Even though there was open licensing policy and the licenses were available at 2001 prices, there was no rush at all for the licenses," Shourie said in a statement. He uses this fact to argue that there was no difference between the price of licenses in 2001 and 2003-04. "In many months, the department of telecom did not even receive a single application for a license," his statement said.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/new ... 479865.cms

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 12 Feb 2011 18:14

A message from our much beloved and much banned RM ji:

Dear Forum-Rakshaks,

Some Forum-Rakshak (aka admin) banned a common man (named Rahul Mehta) because that common man had accused MMS was collecting bribes. Now we have ISRO Spectrum scam, and ISRO directly comes under PM. There is no coalition, no other Minister etc etc. If a huge scam occurs right below a Minister, accusing that Minister of collecting bribe is Politically Acceptable even if incorrect, unless, you are heavy duty MMS-Rakshak. All in all, that common was ahead of BR-curve.

So given that that common's saying that "MMS collects bribes" is now politically acceptable statement, pls unban that common man.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 12 Feb 2011 18:18

One of the most interesting parts of Shourie interview:

BJP not interested in pursuing 2G case: Shourie

Karan Thapar: What about this? For at least a year, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley have been accusing not only the Prime Minister of a cover-up but even suggesting a possibility of involvement. You had proof that at least of cover-up the PM can be accused and you didn't make the proof available.

Arun Shourie: The BJP knows what I knew.

Karan Thapar: The BJP knows what you knew? Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley know this?

Arun Shourie: I don't want to talk about BJP's internal meeting but it is certainly my assessment that they were not interested in following these things.

Karan Thapar: Even the BJP wasn't interested?

Arun Shourie: No.

Karan Thapar: The BJP had dynamite and they weren't interested in following it up?

Arun Shourie: That's true. That's unfortunately true. It is only the AIADMK MPs who were following this up.

Karan Thapar: Your own party had dynamite and they weren't interested in following it up?

Arun Shourie: I'm not going to make it a BJP v/s Arun Shourie business. But it is evident. And many of these people have had these very chaps as their clients, both on Kapil Sibal's side and other sides.

Karan Thapar: So, vested interests came into play?

Arun Shourie: I think that would be a fair statement and that is a very important service that Nira Radia has done to the country that she has lifted the lid and shown us that everybody is in touch with everybody else.

milindc · Post by **milindc** » 12 Feb 2011 18:45

With all his faults, Rahul Mehta is ahead of curve on lot of things....

Pranav wrote:A message from our much beloved and much banned RM ji:

Dear Forum-Rakshaks,

Some Forum-Rakshak (aka admin) banned a common man (named Rahul Mehta) because that common man had accused MMS was collecting bribes. Now we have ISRO Spectrum scam, and ISRO directly comes under PM. There is no coalition, no other Minister etc etc. If a huge scam occurs right below a Minister, accusing that Minister of collecting bribe is Politically Acceptable even if incorrect, unless, you are heavy duty MMS-Rakshak. All in all, that common was ahead of BR-curve.

So given that that common's saying that "MMS collects bribes" is now politically acceptable statement, pls unban that common man.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 12 Feb 2011 19:03

BJP not interested in pursuing 2G case: Shourie

That is why the BJP is sometimes even more dangerous than the Congress. People are liable to be fooled by pretend nationalism. It must be said, though, that the rot does not afflict everybody in the BJP. Gadkari seems to somewhat better, but the compromised elements are very deeply entrenched.

Vikas · Post by **Vikas** » 12 Feb 2011 19:16

^ Pranav, How does Shourie's opinion make BJP more dangerous than Congress ?
The Congress govt has denuded the country and has sucked us dry and yet you feel that BJP is dangerous.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 12 Feb 2011 19:24

VikasRaina wrote:^ Pranav, How does Shourie's opinion make BJP more dangerous than Congress ?
The Congress govt has denuded the country and has sucked us dry and yet you feel that BJP is dangerous.

There are many issues. BJP was responsible for cardinal sin of introducing EVMs, which, imho, have sabotaged Indian democracy. For all the hullabaloo about Swiss bank accounts, the BJP did not succeed in retrieving a single naya paisa during its six years in power. Rather, Rahul Baba was bailed out when he was arrested in the US with a large amount of unaccounted-for cash. Nor did they do much to identify Bangladeshi infiltrators. So on and so forth - it will get OT. With the Congress - at least they don't pretend to be nationalists. I do reiterate, however, that I am not making a blanket accusation against everybody in the BJP.

Raghavendra · Post by **Raghavendra** » 12 Feb 2011 20:36

Another loot of public money by congress party caught

BJP alleges Rs.63,000 crore scams in northeastern states http://www.sify.com/news/bjp-alleges-rs ... fibab.html

New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday alleged corruption of Rs.63,000 crore in development projects in the northeastern states by the local Congress governments, and said it will approach President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek a thorough inquiry into the issue.

Releasing reports 'Congress governments' loot of North East' and 'Hydro Power Scam Arunachal - North East', brought out by a three-member party fact-finding committee, BJP president Nitin Gadkari said strict action should be taken against all those found guilty.

'I will meet the president with the records. The leaders of opposition in the two houses will meet the prime minister. We hope the government will order an inquiry in the interest of the country,' he said.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who was a member of the committee which also included BJP vice-president Bijaya Chakravarty and general secretary Tapir Gao, said six northeastern states of Assam, Manipur, Arunchal Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland and Mizoram had been hit by scams.

'Hydro power projects (in the northeast) are of Rs.400,000 crore. Kickbacks have been given per mega watt of projected capacity. Highly technical projects of crores of rupees have been given to new start-ups,' he said.

The Congress government that came to power in Arunachal Pradesh in 2004 signed 137 MoUs in two years and projects were awarded to dubious companies, Somaiya said.

Various investigative agencies as well as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had raised questions about the scams, including those relating to central schemes and public distribution system but action has hardly been taken against the scamsters, he added.

Somaiya said Assam had earned the dubious distinction of being the most corrupt state in the country on the basis of corruption in 11 vital services in a study conducted jointly by Transparency International and Centre for Media Study.

'The Gogoi government has been the most corrupt government in the country,' he alleged.

The party demanded special courts to try the accused in the scams, coordinated investigation by agencies such as the National Investigative Agency and Central Bureau of Investigation, special audit of all the scams, time-bound action on strictures of CAG, seizing property of those found guilty and recovery of the money swindled.

Attacking the Congress, Gadkari alleged that despite the talk against corruption by party president Sonia Gandhi, 'the loot of the country' had not stopped.

'How empty are Sonia's promises against corruption. The loot has not come down. The whole (Congress) house is behind (it),' he said.

Since the prime minister is an MP from Assam, the country expects tough action from him on cases of corruption in the northeastern states, Gadkari said.

He said the BJP was giving a final shape to an anti-corruption measure, which will be discussed at the meeting of its office-bearers in Kolkata Feb 16 and later sent to BJP-ruled states and serve as a guideline for governance.

Gadkari said he will also urge Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Murli Manohar Joshi to give directions to the government to present the CAG reports on the northeastern states.

He also said the party is preparing a vision document for the northeast.

Raghavendra · Post by **Raghavendra** » 12 Feb 2011 22:03

'A Raja made Rs 3,000 cr in bribes' http://www.zeenews.com/news686441.html

New Delhi: The much-talked about 2G spectrum allocation scam, which not only caused an estimated loss of Rs 1.77 lakh crores to the state’s exchequer but also made former Telecom minister A Raja richer by some Rs 3,000 crores, claims a report on Friday.

A joint investigation into the 2G scam by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has revealed that A Raja made Rs 3,000 crores in bribes due to his policy of selling spectrum at a much cheaper rates causing a loss of Rs 40,000-50,000 crore to the nation, as per a report by a leading news daily.

As per the report, the probe also revealed that Raja made Rs 3,000 crore through his January 2008 order, which brought forward the cut-off date for sending applications for 2G spectrum allocation from the previously announced date of October 21, 2007 to September 25, 2007.

This tactics automatically eliminated many bidders for telecom spectrum and also enabled Raja to favour a few with spectrum allocations. However, in the process, he allegedly earned bribes to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore.

However, these estimates of A Raja's new-found wealth and the subsequent loss, which it caused to the exchequer, is not mentioned in the progress report submitted by the CBI and ED to the Supreme Court on Thursday.

In their report, the two agencies claimed that some companies, who were eventually allotted the spectrum, were aware of the deadline switch as they got their demand draft for the licence fees ready even before the cut-off date of September 25, 2007.

As part of their probe, the two agencies have accused telecom companies like Swan Telecom, Unitech, Videocon, S-Tel and Aircel for colluding with A Raja.

Based on its probe, the CBI and the ED also claimed that the new licencees got huge foreign investments. One of them brought in share capital worth USD 625 million. CBI counsel KK Venugopal told the court the licencees attracted investments in US, Japanese, and Mauritian currency.

rajsunder · Post by **rajsunder** » 12 Feb 2011 22:06

Pranav wrote:
VikasRaina wrote:^ Pranav, How does Shourie's opinion make BJP more dangerous than Congress ?
The Congress govt has denuded the country and has sucked us dry and yet you feel that BJP is dangerous.
There are many issues. BJP was responsible for cardinal sin of introducing EVMs, which, imho, have sabotaged Indian democracy. For all the hullabaloo about Swiss bank accounts, the BJP did not succeed in retrieving a single naya paisa during its six years in power. Rather, Rahul Baba was bailed out when he was arrested in the US with a large amount of unaccounted-for cash. Nor did they do much to identify Bangladeshi infiltrators. So on and so forth - it will get OT. With the Congress - at least they don't pretend to be nationalists. I do reiterate, however, that I am not making a blanket accusation against everybody in the BJP.

you forgot to mention the biggest evil that BJP has done, allowing of the use of participatory notes which is used by every crook to bring in his black money through foreign investment banks. And the next biggest mistake of all, that is allowing foreign capital in INDIAN Media. I have hard time deciding who is the biggest evil, BJP or CONGRESS Party???

Vikas · Post by **Vikas** » 12 Feb 2011 23:15

Maybe just maybe it is easier to be in opposition and criticize than to run the central govt.

ManjaM · Post by **ManjaM** » 13 Feb 2011 03:07

BJP too ignoring scam says HT

HT seems to be on the take in a much more obvious way than before. Shouries makes some pretty serious allegations against the PMO and its involvement in the 2G scam and all HT has to say is that BJP doesnt want 2G investigations.

JwalaMukhi · Post by **JwalaMukhi** » 13 Feb 2011 05:23

^ In this sad saga, apart from the monetary loss to the citizens, it is lowering of the institutions of the democracy that is cause for worry. The PM holds the direct responsibility for bringing down the dignity of the office of PM, by rendering that into a dispensation where looting and fraud is acceptable. The stage is set so that there is no aura associated with the PM's office, that a person with single digit IQ could occupy the seat now. The damage done to that institution is far worse than the monetary loss. Because the stage is set to full conversion into a banana republic where rent seekers (most likely hafta collectors under the protection of government machinery) will have a free reign.

With the fiasco by SM krishna, this dispensation is looking like a circus act, with the ring master presiding over lowering of the standards all around.
Mannina maga Shri.H.D.Deve gowda, ex-PM, is suddenly starting to look like a genius...

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 13 Feb 2011 07:23

JwalaMukhi wrote:^ In this sad saga, apart from the monetary loss to the citizens, it is lowering of the institutions of the democracy that is cause for worry. The PM holds the direct responsibility for bringing down the dignity of the office of PM, by rendering that into a dispensation where looting and fraud is acceptable. The stage is set so that there is no aura associated with the PM's office, that a person with single digit IQ could occupy the seat now. The damage done to that institution is far worse than the monetary loss. Because the stage is set to full conversion into a banana republic where rent seekers (most likely hafta collectors under the protection of government machinery) will have a free reign.

I have been crying hoarse for so long ,fearing this is gonna happen on Congress watch and for sure will end with territorial loss for country and might unravel it. Weakening of the armed forces must be seen in the same vein. PM might be an honest man, but if his honesty dont serve and further national interests and weakens the national resolve then he must go home. I would rather have a crook who add strength and power to desh.

madhu · Post by **madhu** » 13 Feb 2011 07:42

Raghavendra wrote:'A Raja made Rs 3,000 cr in bribes' http://www.zeenews.com/news686441.html

is it not Mr. Swamy had told this number few moons back itself. i waggly remmebering 30:30:60 split b/w raja, karuna & sonia... and he also told the numbers som,e thing like 3000 cr:3000cr:6000cr .....help me if i am wrong.

VinayB · Post by **VinayB** » 13 Feb 2011 08:39

Mr. Shourie uses terms 'swallow-and-vomit' journalism and 'some fool at NDTV' etc in this interview. In the end, the title to the transcript is 'BJP not interested'. There is a lot of other headlines one could think of.

Pioneer has been reporting on Raja and front companies since a long time - may be 2008. Chandan Mitra is a BJP MP (nominated before, elected now).

Looking at the timeline, the first whiff of scandal for common man was in Jan 2008 when some papers reported about commotion in ministry in the first come first serve process, with company execs jostling/fisticuffs etc. Mr Shourie was part of BJP campaign in 2009 May elections. Did he mention this issue in the campaigns?

One of the lines of defence has been 'you did not stop us'. Shourie interview provides additional headlines for that defense.

Bottomline is this - if there has to be a political response to the current set of corruption, it has to be from the BJP. Everyone else is UPA-3 inside/outside support.