`560-cr spectrum scam in Modi govt: Congress

NEW DELHI: Red-flagging a major scam in the spectrum allocation, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Monday alleged that the method used by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allot precious Microwave Spectrum to its private businesses on ‘first come, first serve basis'(fcfs) rather than an auction has caused a loss of Rs 560 crore to the exchequer.

Citing the findings of the recently tabled report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, the Congress leader said, “A 125-page CAG report (Report 21 of 2018, tabled on January 8, 2018] conclusively proves that the Modi government allotted a set of spectrum in 2015 on ‘first come, first serve basis', which is in contradiction to the recommendations of a 2012 committee that was constituted during the Congress-led UPA regime.”

Khera further said that the first come first serve method has been adopted even when 101 applications for microwave (MW) spectrum were pending with the government and the process caused a massive loss of Rs 560 crore to the public exchequer.

The Congress leader further alleged that the Modi government brazenly violated the February 2012 Supreme Court order that stated that “while transferring or alienating the natural resources, the state is duty-bound to adopt the method of auction by giving wide publicity so that all eligible persons can participate in the process.”

“Modi government acted as a willful collaborator with its select cronies and artfully violated this judgement. The BJP that had supported the cancellation of spectrum allotment and had staunchly batted for an ‘allocation' has now shown its true colours. Today, the BJP government stands guilty of violating the same principle and causing huge losses to people,” Khera said, adding that the panel during UPA regime had recommended spectrum allotment through auction, which has been flouted by the Modi government.

The findings of the CAG report establish that the fact that the Bjp-led NDA government is deepneck in corruption.