Opposition parties on Thursday demanded a CBI probe against home minister P. Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum allocation scam in the wake of a finance ministry note to PMO on the 2G spectrum issue, which the Opposition claimed shows Mr Chidambaram’s “complicity”. While the BJP demanded Mr
Chidambaram’s resignation and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s explanation on the entire 2G spectrum issue, the CPI(M) claimed the note has “authoritatively” shown that the then finance minister Chidambaram had cleared the allotment of 2G spectrum licenses at the 2001 entry fee, “even though the finance secretary and his own ministry had pointed out the need for its revision”. AIADMK superemo and Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha also said, “The CBI should proceed against Mr Chidambaram as they did against A. Raja (former telecommunications minister).”
Speaking on the issue, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said, “...when the Opposition raised this issue you (government) said it was politically motivated, when the CAG pointed it out you called it an enthusiastic auditor. But now the most experienced and wisest man (Pranab Mukherjee) in the government has raised this issue (through the finance ministry note)?” “We do hope that having rendered such a long service to the nation, Mr Pranab Mukherjee will not shirk from his public responsibility to make a full and frank disclosure (on the 2G issue),” Mr Jaitley added. The CPI(M), in a statement, said “The note has made the pertinent observation that if the Finance Ministry had stuck to its earlier stand, the licences given could have been cancelled.”