New Delhi:
The controversial note that questions whether P Chidambaram did enough to prevent the telecom scam held onto its political bombshell title today. The opposition referred to it to demand a CBI inquiry against Mr Chidambaram. The Congress said once again that it supports the minister unequivocally. And two parliamentary committees investigating the scandal asked for a copy of the document immediately.
The note was authored by the Finance Ministry in March this year, and endorsed by Pranab Mukherjee, before it was dispatched to the Prime Minister's Office. It suggests that Mr Chidambaram, as Finance Minister in 2008, could have over-ruled then Telecom Minister A Raja into holding an auction for valuable second-generation or 2G spectrum. It also indicates that the Finance Ministry could have pushed for higher entry fees or the prices that were paid by companies to buy mobile network licenses. Mr Raja is in jail for under-valuing licenses and selling them to companies that were ineligible. The fact that Mr Mukherjee seems to have tacitly endorsed the fact that Mr Chidambaram should have been more proactive in reigning in Mr Raja is a bonanza for the BJP. Today, its leaders suggested that by declaring that Mr Chidambaram "enjoys my full confidence", the Prime Minister is trying to protect his own office from the 2G stain.
The government has to also now deal with the implications of the fact that Mr Mukherjee's note has so far not been mentioned in depositions or statements before two parliamentary groups - the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that are looking at different aspects of telecom policy, including Mr Raja's actions.
Both panels have asked for a copy of the Finance Ministry's note to be delivered to them. The committees have members from different political parties. The JPC was set up at the opposition's insistence earlier this year, and is headed by PC Chacko of the Congress. He told PTI today that he has asked for the document to be sent to him before the committee meets on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Public Accounts Committee or PAC is headed by the BJP's Murli Manhoar joshi. He said yesterday, "Mr Chidambaram should be either dismissed...or he should resign...The CBI should take up a case against him."