Ralegan Siddhi:
Amid the fresh controversy in the 2-G spectrum case, anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare today said Home Minister P Chidambaram would have been behind bars had the Jan Lokpal legislation been in existence.
"Had there been a Jan Lokpal now, Chidambaram would have been in jail," Hazare, who earlier branded the Union Home Minister as a "mischievous person", said. Chidambaram would have to "go home" in the 2G scam, Hazare said at his village Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district.
"Chidambaram is 'khodsal' (a Marathi word which means a mischievous or a dishonest person)," the Gandhian had alleged soon after returning to his village this month while giving an account of his arrest and release in Delhi ahead of his fast on Jan Lokpal issue.
Chidambaram is facing heat from a united opposition which has pressed for his resignation and a CBI probe over his stand in the controversial 2G spectrum allocation after a Finance Ministry note to the Prime Minister's office(PMO) was submitted to the Supreme Court by Janata party leader Subramanian Swamy.
The note suggested that the 2G scam could have been averted if the Finance Ministry, then under Chidambaram, had insisted on spectrum allocation through auction.
The Government and Congress have stoutly defended Chidambaram asserting that his integrity is not in doubt and there is no question mark over his conduct.