By IANS,
Chennai : Leader of opposition in Tamil Nadu and AIADMK General Secretary J. Jayalalithaa Wednesday demanded dismissal of Communications Minister A. Raja over the controversial allocation of 2G telecom spectrum.
She also favoured bringing back a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer who was transferred while he was investigating the spectrum allotment case.
In a statement here Wednesday, Jayalalithaa said: “It is a great credit to opposition unity that the controversy-prone former minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor was made to resign soon after doubts were raised with reference to his involvement in dealings relating to the Kochi franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL) team.”
“Tharoor’s guilt has not been proved. Yet, in the highest traditions of democracy, he chose to quit,” she said.
“Now that this healthy precedent has been set, it would only be fitting if the central government demonstrates that the Tharoor resignation was no aberration and that the government means business in all matters relating to its collective integrity and honesty,” she said.
According to Jayalalithaa, the acts of omission and commission perpetrated by Raja have caused a loss to the Indian government and people to the extent of anywhere between Rs.60,000 crore to Rs.100,000 crore.
“The charges against Tharoor were made by an interested party in the IPL. The charges against Raja have been levelled by many independent political parties of integrity and validated by the media, investigating agencies, the Central Vigilance Commission, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and even the courts of law,” she said.
Citing the transfer of Vineet Agarwal, the CBI officer investigating the spectrum allotment case, Jayalalithaa said: “The implications are obvious. The central government has succumbed to pressure from the DMK to give the case a quiet burial.”
According to her, Raja should be dismissed from the union cabinet and Agarwal should be brought back to head the CBI’s investigation team for allowing the law to take its course.