New Delhi, Sep 24: The war of words between BJP and Congress over the controversy surrounding Home Minister P Chidambaram in 2G spectrum row escalated today with the main opposition party saying his place was in the same cell in Tihar jail where former Telecom Minister A Raja is lodged.
Upping the ante, BJP leader Yashwant Sinha also demanded that the court should order a probe into the “role” of both Prime Minister and Chidambaram, when he was the Finance Minister, during the controversial 2G spectrum allocation.
Congress said Sinha's swipes at Chidambaram were highly condemnable with its senior leader Digvijay Singh alleging that the Home Minister was being targeted by the RSS after he acted against Sanghi terror.
“Chidambaram is a man of integrity, a man of competence and there is no question of any charges against him,” the AICC General Secretary said while putting up a strong defence of his party colleague.
Singh said “BJP should look into its own “backyard” first before leveling allegations against others... particularly when it is against an able and competent Minister like Chidambaram.”
He said it is unjustified and incorrect to level allegations against Chidambaram in this case.
Earlier, Sinha, a former Finance Minister, said, “There is so much evidence that has come out against P Chidambaram in the 2-G spectrum case that for CBI to say in court now that he is not guilty would be laughable. Chidambaram's place is in the same cell in Tihar jail in which A Raja has been lodged.”
Sinha was equally scathing against the Prime Minister, charging he was fully in the know of the developments in the 2-G Spectrum allocation all along.
“If today I have any admiration for A Raja it is for the fact that he kept the Prime Minister informed at every step. He wrote a letter to the Prime Minister whenever a new development took place,” Sinha said.
He insisted that about 20-30 questions needed to be asked from the Prime Minister on this issue.
“If after all this, the Prime Minister kept silent then it would not be considered as silence but consent. If this touches Chidambaram, the Prime Minister knows he cannot be untouched,” Sinha said.
He demanded that the court should order an enquiry into Chidambaram's role as well as that of the Prime Minister.
“If the Prime Minister's role is not inquired into, then we will not be able to do justice,” Sinha said. CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said a “very serious charge” has been levelled against Chidambaram by the Finance Ministry and demanded a thorough probe into his role.
Asked whether Chidambaram should now quit, he said “when the investigation begins, then the question of his resignation will come up. First, the horse and then the horse cart”.PTI
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