2G spectrum scam: PM, Chidambaram should resign immediately, says NDA

NEW DELHI: The BJP-led NDA on Tuesday charged the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram of direct complicity and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of being in the know in the 2G spectrum allocation case and demanded that the two should step down.

"What A Raja said yesterday in court has vindicated what we have been saying all along. This is what we have been fighting against in and outside Parliament. The bigger question here is that Chidambaram is neck-deep in it while the Prime Minister, whose responsibility is of reining in his Cabinet and guarding the exchequer, has failed to do so," NDA Convenor Sharad Yadav said.

He was speaking to reporters after a special meeting of the NDA held at the residence of its Working President L K Advani.

"Whatever excuses the Prime Minister makes now, he failed in his duty as this cannot happen without his knowledge. The present Home Minister is, of course, fully involved in it and has been a partner in it. So both, especially Chidambaram, should resign immediately," Yadav said.

The NDA was unanimous in its demand for the resignation of the two and of their involvement in the 2G spectrum scam.

"We believe the Prime Minister cannot be given a clean chit on the matter. He was constantly aware of what was going on. But he has not yet made it known to the nation as to why he is silent on the matter. On moral grounds, he has no right to continue. To strengthen the fight against corruption, he should step down," Yadav said.

Others who attended the meeting were Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, her counterpart in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, Deputy Leader of BJP in the Upper House S S Ahluwalia, Naresh Gujral ( SAD) and Shyam Sunder Das (JD-U).