Chidambaram must quit, demands CPI-M

Refusing to buy the argument that the remarks on P Chidambaram in the 2G note was the handiwork of a single officer, Communist Party of India-Marxist on Friday demanded the resignation of the home minister alleging that it clearly showed that he gave the nod for a policy which led to a loss to the exchequer.

"It is not the work of any single officer or ministry. Therefore, P Chidambaram has to take responsibility for his action. The politburo demands that he resign from the Union Cabinet," CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat told reporters mediapersons after the meeting.

The party politburo said the explanation provided by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee underlined the "authoritative nature" of the conclusions that have been drawn as the inter ministerial note was prepared with inputs from various ministries and coordinated by the Cabinet Secretary.

The finance ministry note of March 25, 2011 had said that the 2G scam could have been avoided had Chidambaram, the then finance minister, insisted on auctioning of spectrum instead of giving it on 2001 prices.

Seeking to put an end to the controversy, Mukherjee on Thursday clarified that the remarks against Chidambaram were not approved by him.

The CPI-M said the note forwarded by the Finance Ministry to the Prime Minister's Office has clearly "delineated the role" played by Chidambaram at that time in going along with the policy and the implementation of it by the then Telecom Minister A Raja.

"Despite the obfuscation by the Government, the issue is that P Chidambaram had given the green signal for a policy which led to a massive loss to the state exchequer. This is despite his ministry earlier objecting to the first come--first serve policy and the entry fee being retained at the 2001 rate," Karat said.

The politburo said the recent period has once again highlighted the high level corruption which had engulfed the UPA government since its inception in 2004.

"Apart from the unfolding 2G spectrum scandal, the CAG reports on the KG basin contract and the Air India mismanagement have reinforced the image of a totally corrupt government in the eyes of the people," it said.

Karat said the note forwarded by the finance ministry to the prime minister's office has clearly "delineated the role" played by Chidambaram "in going along with the policy and the implementation of it by then Telecom Minister A Raja".

"Despite the obfuscation by the government, the issue is that Chidambaram had given the green signal for a policy which led to a massive loss to the state exchequer. This is despite his ministry earlier objecting to the first come-first serve policy and the entry fee being retained at the 2001 rate," the top CPI-M leader said at the end of the two-day meeting of the politburo here.

He said the high level corruption which had engulfed the UPA government since its inception in 2004 has been once again highlighted.

"Apart from the unfolding 2G spectrum scandal, the CAG reports on the KG basin contract and the Air India mismanagement have reinforced the image of a totally corrupt government in the eyes of the people," Karat said.

Taking the BJP to task for announcing the rath yatra by L K Advani, he said, "One can't help admire BJP's total hypocrisy on the stand of corruption during the NDA rule. Corruption scandals had erupted then and these are snowballing now in the UPA-II regime".

Referring to the scams relating to defence purchases and sanctioning of petrol pumps and gas agencies during NDA rule, he said the BJP was "accountable for presiding over one of the worst corruption episodes in illegal mining in Karnataka.

"In this context, the rath yatra of Advani will have no credibility among the people."