New Delhi:
In both houses of Parliament, a combative Prime Minister took on the Opposition today, vowing to end corruption and defending the telecom policy followed by former minister A Raja, who is now in jail for the mammoth 2G spectrum scam.
In fact, the Prime Minister offered the same line of defense floated by Mr Raja and the DMK - that by giving telecom licences at astoundingly-low prices, the government had ensured that cellphones were affordable for the masses. Defending the government's decision to skip an auction for 2G mobile network licences in 2008, the Prime Minister said, "While the policy was sound, the way it was implemented, I think, gave rise to problems."
He also said that teledensity in India had leapt from 7% in 2004 to 66% in 2010.
The handling of spectrum by Mr Raja cost the government 1.76 lakh crores, according to the government's auditor, which released its report in November. Since then, the government has faced a near-daily battering by the Opposition and under massive pressure, it has finally agreed to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that will study the scam. The committee will have 30 members in all. (Read: 2G spectrum scam: JPC to have 30 members)
However, the PM promised action against anyone found guilty. "People talk of scams and if there is a scam, it must be dealt with. The law of the land must punish the wrong doers."
The Joint Parliamentary Committee will look into the allocation and pricing of telecom licences and spectrum from 1998 to 2009.
It has been asked to submit its findings by the end of the monsoon session of Parliament in August.
In fact, the Prime Minister offered the same line of defense floated by Mr Raja and the DMK - that by giving telecom licences at astoundingly-low prices, the government had ensured that cellphones were affordable for the masses. Defending the government's decision to skip an auction for 2G mobile network licences in 2008, the Prime Minister said, "While the policy was sound, the way it was implemented, I think, gave rise to problems."
He also said that teledensity in India had leapt from 7% in 2004 to 66% in 2010.
The handling of spectrum by Mr Raja cost the government 1.76 lakh crores, according to the government's auditor, which released its report in November. Since then, the government has faced a near-daily battering by the Opposition and under massive pressure, it has finally agreed to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that will study the scam. The committee will have 30 members in all. (Read: 2G spectrum scam: JPC to have 30 members)
However, the PM promised action against anyone found guilty. "People talk of scams and if there is a scam, it must be dealt with. The law of the land must punish the wrong doers."
The Joint Parliamentary Committee will look into the allocation and pricing of telecom licences and spectrum from 1998 to 2009.
It has been asked to submit its findings by the end of the monsoon session of Parliament in August.
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