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This verdict will NOT change govt's corrupt image: BJP
Notwithstanding the trial court's dismissal of the case against Home Minister P Chidambaram on the 2G spectrum issue, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday said it would continue to target him and the government on the issue and await the decision of the higher courts in the matter.
"This judgment has come from the lower court. There is a hierarchy of courts and there are two higher courts. There are several instances where upper courts have overturned the verdict of the lower court," said BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Subramanian Swamy, who was the petitioner in the case, has already stated that he would pursue the matter in the high court.
The BJP said it would continue to corner the government and Chidambaram in particular on the 2G spectrum issue as well as other corruption cases. The party also took heart from the Supreme Court order, which had cancelled 122 licenses of 2G.
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'Supreme Court found corruption and scam'
"The issue of political accountability of Chidambaram remains alive. BJP shall continue to raise the matter of his accountability both inside and outside the Parliament. This verdict will not change the corrupt image of the government or the intensity of our campaign," Prasad said.
He insisted that BJP is very clear that there is enough evidence against Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum case.
Prasad said the Supreme Court observations on the grant of 2G licenses were significant.
"Supreme Court found corruption and scam in this. The allotments were capricious, tainted and arbitrary and there was manipulation of policy in this. We cannot lose sight of the fact that the apex court of the country has cancelled as many as 122 licenses as these were found to be completely afflicted by corruption," Prasad said.
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'There has been an offence committed'
Asked about Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal's comments that the opposition should apologise to the nation, Prasad said, "He and his government should apologise for the loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer."
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said the prime minister had stated in the Upper House that former telecom minister A Raja and Chidambaram had concurred on the decision related to 2G spectrum allocation.
"Admittedly there has been an offence committed under the Prevention of Corruption Act in the manner of allocation of the 2 G Spectrum. Is only Raja responsible or are others also responsible," he said.
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'It is not the end of the story'
"The NDA cabinet in 2003 had decided that spectrum prices would be fixed by the telecom minister in consultation with the finance minister," Jaitley said.
He added that it was for the courts to decide whether there was evidence against more people.
"The telecom minister having been held culpable, it is for the investigating and legal mechanism to decide whether there is evidence against the then finance minister," Jaitley added.
BJP leader Jaswant Singh said, "I don't think it is a disappointment, because it is not the end of the story".