Jayalalithaa demands detailed probe into 2G spectrum scam

CHENNAI - AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa Monday said A. Raja’s resignation as union telecom minister in connection with the 2G spectrum scam would be just “symbolic tokenism” if it was not followed up with a detailed probe.

She also termed as disturbing and a cause of concern that the official version of the resignation does not say Prime Minister Manmohan Singh insisted on Rajas resignation. Raja, who resigned Sunday, hails from DMK, the archrival of AIADMK in Tamil Nadu.

the official version put out is that the DMK leader M. Karunanidhi asked Raja to resign only because parliament was being stalled every day on his account, and that he wanted parliament to function without disruption, and that Raja was innocent of any wrongdoing, she said in a statement here.

She said the resignation does not signal the end of “the mother of all scams. It is only the beginning. The government of India has lost an unprecedented Rs.176,379 crores ($39 billion)”.

Alleging that Raja and people and institutions close to him have gained out of the shady deals, she demanded an unhindered probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) supplemented by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe which would update the parliament on the entire issue.

Further, Raja himself should be charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act and be arrested and tried for perpetrating the biggest scam in the history of mankind, she said.

She said the money trail has to be traced and every single person who has gained out of this scam should be made accountable and should be proceeded against.

The Enforcement Directorate and the income tax department will also have to get into the act. Only then will justice be done. Only then can the resignation be considered genuine and not just symbolic tokenism, Jayalalithaa added.

Terming the resignation as overdue she said it .is not a case of scaling the moral high ground. Raja had been mocking at all constitutional institutions, including the office of the prime minister, the Central Vigilance Commissioner, the Delhi High Court, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and even the Supreme Court of India.

Claiming a victory for Indian people, democracy and media freedom, she said: Rajas resignation came after a virtual avalanche of public opinion was mobilised following my recent interview to the Times Now TV news channel and the millions of telegrams that have swamped Rashtrapati Bhavan from all over the country after I called upon the citizens of India to register their sense of outrage and demand Rajas dismissal.

–Indo Asian News Service