Jairam Ramesh slams Sunil Mittal for his outcry against BSNL
Sunil Mittal's remarks against BSNL and MTNL have evoked sharp reaction from the government, with Jairam Ramesh slamming the telecom czar. Diwali Brand Launch
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: Airtel chief Sunil Mittal's remarks against BSNL and MTNL have evoked sharp reaction from the government, with Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh slamming the telecom czar for castigating the PSUs, which were subjected to "aggressive lobbying" from private competitors.
"Public Service Enterprises have to face many constraints in their operations not the least being aggressive lobby by the competitors to stymie their expansion," Ramesh said in a letter to Mittal expressing deep disappointment at the entrepreneur's views on BSNL and MTNL.
Mittal had objected to allocation of spectrum to the PSUs, especially BSNL that does not fulfill subscriber-based criteria as prescribed in the current policy.
"I was anguished at your comments on BSNL and MTNL. I am well aware that there are differing opinions on the best way of allocating spectrum. You (Mittal) have a point of view which you have expressed forcefully. But what pained me is the manner in which you have castigated BSNL particularly," the minister said.
BSNL has been facing many hurdles to expand its operations in the mobile telephony and was reduced with virtually nil capacity to offer any new connection and has been losing its market share to private competitors.
Ramesh also pointed out that PSUs have done far better in meeting social obligations compared to private players and singled out BSNL for appreciation for the role it played.
"I can tell you from my experience, and there are a few who travel regularly across the country as I do, that BSNL has fulfilled a larger social role much more effectively than your own company or any other private service provider," the minister said.
Mittal, in his letter to Department of Telecom, had called BSNL and MTNL as 'most inefficient' and had asked DoT to withdraw a large part of spectrum from MTNL to guide the industry in efficient spectrum use. "Surely, the experts within the Department should have helped BSNL and MTNL, the government owned operators, to be the most spectrum efficient and be role models and not the other way round as most inefficient operators having the largest amount of spectrum with a lower subscriber base," he had said.
However, both BSNL and MTNL had hit back at Mittal, saying they have been allotted spectrum as per the existing policy.
Peeved by Mittal's comments against the PSUs, Ramesh said: "Having known you for over 20 years and seen the flowering of your entrepreneurial talents, I cannot but be an admirer of your achievements. It is this, more than anything else, that has prompted me to convey to you my deep sense of disappointment at your completely uncalled for comments as far as BSNL especially is concerned."
Sunil Mittal’s reply
"Public Service Enterprises have to face many constraints in their operations not the least being aggressive lobby by the competitors to stymie their expansion," Ramesh said in a letter to Mittal expressing deep disappointment at the entrepreneur's views on BSNL and MTNL.
Mittal had objected to allocation of spectrum to the PSUs, especially BSNL that does not fulfill subscriber-based criteria as prescribed in the current policy.
"I was anguished at your comments on BSNL and MTNL. I am well aware that there are differing opinions on the best way of allocating spectrum. You (Mittal) have a point of view which you have expressed forcefully. But what pained me is the manner in which you have castigated BSNL particularly," the minister said.
BSNL has been facing many hurdles to expand its operations in the mobile telephony and was reduced with virtually nil capacity to offer any new connection and has been losing its market share to private competitors.
Ramesh also pointed out that PSUs have done far better in meeting social obligations compared to private players and singled out BSNL for appreciation for the role it played.
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"I can tell you from my experience, and there are a few who travel regularly across the country as I do, that BSNL has fulfilled a larger social role much more effectively than your own company or any other private service provider," the minister said.
Mittal, in his letter to Department of Telecom, had called BSNL and MTNL as 'most inefficient' and had asked DoT to withdraw a large part of spectrum from MTNL to guide the industry in efficient spectrum use. "Surely, the experts within the Department should have helped BSNL and MTNL, the government owned operators, to be the most spectrum efficient and be role models and not the other way round as most inefficient operators having the largest amount of spectrum with a lower subscriber base," he had said.
However, both BSNL and MTNL had hit back at Mittal, saying they have been allotted spectrum as per the existing policy.
Peeved by Mittal's comments against the PSUs, Ramesh said: "Having known you for over 20 years and seen the flowering of your entrepreneurial talents, I cannot but be an admirer of your achievements. It is this, more than anything else, that has prompted me to convey to you my deep sense of disappointment at your completely uncalled for comments as far as BSNL especially is concerned."
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Sunil Mittal’s reply
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