Undeterred by the mounting attack for his role in the allocation of 2-G spectrum, Telecom Minister A Raja on Friday ruled out his resignation over the issue, saying he will prove that everything has been done according to the law.
"The question does not arise at all. We will prove that everything has been done according to the law," the embattled minister told reporters, a day after the Opposition stalled proceedings in Parliament for the second consecutive day demanding his resignation.
Raja's comments assume significance in the wake of indications that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will take a decision on whether Raja will continue as a Cabinet minister after his return from Seoul tonight. "Where does that question arise from? It doesn't arise at all," Raja said when pressed whether he would step down.
The DMK minister maintained that he will not comment on the spectrum allocation issue as it is sub-judice and said the affidavit submitted by the Telecom Department before the Supreme Court on Thursday "says it all".
"The entire matter is sub-judice. It may not be fair on my part to comment on this... Whatever I have done is according to the law," he said.
Opposition mounted its attack after the CAG said it has submitted to the government the report on the 2G spectrum allotment that may have caused a loss of over Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.
Sources in the know say that the CAG has accused the Telecom Ministry for undervaluing 2G spectrum, sold to new players in 2008, and held that the allotment price was not realistic, which has caused a revenue loss of Rs 1,76,700 crore to the government.
The Telecom Minister also took a dig at AIADMK J Jayalalithaa today for asking the Prime Minister to sack him from the Cabinet with a promise of "unconditional support" to the Congress if DMK withdrew support.
"She has no moral right to make such statements. She is the only Chief Minister in the country who refused to recognise her own signature in the court of law to save her
skin," Raja said.
"She has no authority. She herself is fighting corruption charges. She is the only leader who has protracted proceedings in corruption cases filed against her to 10 to 12 years," he said.
Jayalalithaa had yesterday asked Singh to sack Raja, whom she accused of perpetrating a "massive scam", and said her party was ready to replace the DMK, which has 18 MPs, in the Congress-led coalition government at the Centre.
Raja said that CAG had made similar harsh observations after the 1999 policy under which the government moved to revenue share regime from fixed licence fee structure.
"The entire matter is sub-judice. It may not be fair on my part to comment on this... Whatever I have done is according to the law," he said.
Opposition mounted its attack after the CAG said it has submitted to the government the report on the 2G spectrum allotment that may have caused a loss of over Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer.
Sources in the know say that the CAG has accused the Telecom Ministry for undervaluing 2G spectrum, sold to new players in 2008, and held that the allotment price was not realistic, which has caused a revenue loss of Rs 1,76,700 crore to the government.
The Telecom Minister also took a dig at AIADMK J Jayalalithaa today for asking the Prime Minister to sack him from the Cabinet with a promise of "unconditional support" to the Congress if DMK withdrew support.
"She has no moral right to make such statements. She is the only Chief Minister in the country who refused to recognise her own signature in the court of law to save her
skin," Raja said.
"She has no authority. She herself is fighting corruption charges. She is the only leader who has protracted proceedings in corruption cases filed against her to 10 to 12 years," he said.
Jayalalithaa had yesterday asked Singh to sack Raja, whom she accused of perpetrating a "massive scam", and said her party was ready to replace the DMK, which has 18 MPs, in the Congress-led coalition government at the Centre.
Raja said that CAG had made similar harsh observations after the 1999 policy under which the government moved to revenue share regime from fixed licence fee structure.
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