Exclusive: Read full interview of A Raja to Rajat Sharma in Aap Ki Adalat (Part III)

A Raja: First of all, I'm neither the Director nor the share holder. Ms Kanimozhi also had no role in this. Kanimozhi has a very low share in the company. The only question is that everything is on paper. The money didn't come from heaven or unknown sources. The sources are known.RS: But those sources who gave the money are along the same time as they got the license. A Raja: Not on the same time! Not at all! It is anterior or posterior. License is something different. One thing is clear. The world is very small. Simply because a person has identical business interest you can't say that this one is connected to this or vice versa. Tomorrow if I purchase a car from you, then it can't be said that yesterday he interviewed this man that's why he bought the car from him. See, there is a speculation and allegation made by the CBI under Money Laundering Act by the ED but we are challenging it. But they did not say the source was unknown. The source was known to all… RS: They are saying – “Raja, Kani charged with money laundering”. A Raja: Charging is something different. RS: But why? You were a part of a government that was functioning with the support of DMK A Raja: It must have been done for some other reasons…maybe political or non political. RS: So you tell the public the reason.A Raja: One thing is very clear the timing of filing complain before the court. Soon after the elections were held in Tamil Nadu, second day – they filed a complain. One can draw inference…they were waiting for the elections, after the elections they wanted to file the complain. Judge: You tell the inference…say it openly…(Audience applauds)A Raja: No! I'm telling…I'm facing a trial. It's better for me to leave it to you to decide. The election took place yesterday after which the same charge that was framed with the CBI which has been in the court for three years - from 2011 – 2014… same issues of Kalinga TV transactions are being brought out. The matter is pending before the trial court. You are waiting till the elections and after elections you file the same charge with another Act. Act is different but facts are the same. Law is different but facts are the same. That is why I'm saying its old wine in new bottle. I cannot give any judgment...since I'm facing the trial…RS: Raja sahib it is not about court trial. This is a political question. You can hide the court's word but at least answer political questions. A Raja: I am telling you some motivation is behind it. I can't say what type of motivation it is. I'm leaving it to the public domain. You people are listening. The timing is very essential. The reason behind them putting the complain following elections. Having waited for 3 years…Judge: You should tell the public. Who is behind this? Tell the public. A Raja: I'll come to you. Who is responsible for all these proceedings must know all these things. RS: Yes this is what the public wants to know, who is responsible? A Raja: No I don't know…Judge: No you accused the Prime Minister …A Raja: I don't know who is handling all these things but whoever is… whose umbrella – ambit these things are…RS: I think you know who is behind all this and you are not revealing. A Raja: No no! I'm not hiding anything. See the entire perception may be the victim. I should not do the same thing. The person handling this issue must shoulder the responsibility. Unless and until they come out for this I cannot attribute as an accused because people may say in order to shift the burden this man is pointing fingers at others. I am putting the entire fact and timing before you. It is for you to draw the inference. It's not too big for the common people to have a plausible and reasonable inference. RS: Raja sahib the impression is that your political loyalty is for just one family and one leader. A Raja: No my first loyalty is to my ideals. My leader is the symbol of ideals. I was inspired by Dravidian school of thoughts since my school days. Our mentors were C Annadurai and EV Ramaswamy, great leaders. I was inspired by the ideals of these leaders. My leader, Karunanidhi, is an institution who stands for the ideals. So I don't have any distinct approach between the institution and ideals.RS: DMK leaders in Delhi say that A Raja used to work as a spy for Karunanidhi in Delhi. He used to keep him informed of the activities of all the ministers here. A Raja: That's not true. These are all speculations. That's absolutely false.RS: But how did you get close to him? A Raja: I joined DMK in my college days. Mother of DMK is DK (Dravida Kazhagam) and I was a part of that too in the student wing. Then I started legal practice in 1989 in my home. Thereafter joined DMK. I got ticket for Lok Sabha in 1996. I got elected. So it was a spontaneous growth. I built faith and integrity with my leader. RS: I have am example of this growth. People told me that earlier when you used to visit DMK office then you used a cycle. Now you go via BMW. (Audience laughs and applauds)A Raja: If you want to show difference between BMW and cycle then I'm not concerned about it. The only thing is that suppose you say that BMW is a troubled vehicle. Sometimes it may go slower than a cycle. Cycle may bypass a BMW if BMW is not in order. In 1984 I was the secretary for the rural unit in my village. Later on in 1996 I was tollage secretary. In 2004 I became district secretary. In 2009 I became propaganda secretary. So my evaluation came from the grass root. Out of integrity and trust that has been built by me and it has been reciprocated by my leader. More specifically, in Delhi I was brought up by the leader who passed away recently. RS: But my question is - from cycle to BMW…?A Raja: I started from walking, then bicycle, then motorcycle. It's an evolution. You wanted to suppress all the evolution. I started from walking then cycle, then motorcycle, then gear motorcycle and then car. Audience: You kept the Ministry, PMO and the public in dark for some friends. So when you faced the dark in prison cell then which of your friends tried to brighten up your days. A Raja: Firstly I didn't keep anyone in the dark. As a matter of fact have you heard who gave license to airtel? Have you heard how it was given to vodaphone? Nobody disclosed to the public. No press release was ever published since 1994. Have you ever heard of it? - That we are going to issue license. I'm the first minister in the Indian history who gave press release that I'm going to issue license or that I'm going to allot spectrum. Still you are saying that I put everyone in dark. This is a perception created by the media…RS: No this is a perception created by PMO. A Raja: No. not at all. Show me the record. I challenge you. Show me one record. Prime minister wrote to me. You show one letter that claims that the Prime Minister was in the dark.It is from your mouth that you are saying PM was in the dark. Even CBI didn't say that. You wanted to say. It is your wish. Hope…I think you are not the biggest operator…RS: (LAUGHS) No. I'm not. But answer his second question. Who were the friends who visited you in darkness?A Raja: I took jail experience positively. If you want to have something the price must be negative or positive. I wanted to help you. When you act as an individual then the outcome is negative. It was a personal relationship. I wanted to help the country and our society. Then the approach was negative. If you wish to sail along with the course then it's fine. But if you wish to sail against the course then you have to face hurdles. I've made it very clear. I met hurdles. I'll come out and prove that what I did was very noble for the country. Audience: Who is your ideal? Who inspires you?A Raja: Dravidian school of thoughts. Audience: You say that you didn't keep anyone in the dark. And telecom licenses were given under the leadership of the Prime Minister. CBI also comes under the Prime Minister. Then why it is that the same CBI accused you and the Prime Minister was unaware of it.A Raja: I cannot comment on the Prime Minister. You will have to ask Dr Manmohan Singh. But one thing is clear – CBI was created under a parliamentary act. RS: Her question is that why did the Prime Minister not come to rescue you or to support you? A Raja: You have to ask Prime Minister that not me!Audience: Do you admit that you were influenced by the company you kept and that led you to do corruption and then the big fishes decided to consume the smaller fishes. A Raja: I am not at all corrupt. I wanted to do something for the betterment of the people. I wanted to help the labor masses of the society who have not been empowered with telephones. I explained throughout. I wanted to help people in the rural areas. Audience: When it is about RTI and Food Security Bill, then only party president Sonia Gandhi and PM are highlighted. But when it concerns coalgate or railgate it is all about A Raja and Pawan Bansal. Why does this happen? A Raja: Well that's the question I'm asking. RS: The whole country is asking that. A Raja: Yes. But who has to answer it? RS: You have to answer because you were a part of the government and of the cabinet. A Raja: I have said all that I had to say. In spite of my good intentions and in spite of my effort to boost the tele connection in the country, I took steps to reduce tariff. I have explained everything. RS: You don't know the answer or you don't want to tell the answer?A Raja: I have to search along with you…Audience: You are saying that the scam took place to reduce the call rates. Couldn't the rates have gone down had the scam not taken place? A Raja: I didn't register here. I registered in the Rajya Sabha. I remember correctly – Arun Jaitely had posed the question in the Prime Minister's presence. I very categorically said that as a minister I had done all this to bring down the tariff and boost tele - density. I wanted to assure that 2G would be free and only 3G chargeable. I have traveled cross the world. All the other governments provide that. After my resignation and after cancellation of licenses the tariff is rising. The tariff is rising in India and its reducing all over the world. Its all messed up. (Audience applauds)RS: We charged you will many questions and you have answered them all. You did get angry at some points but you have answered all questions correctly. I congratulate you for that.