BJP charges of mega-scam in 2G 'completely bizarre': Cong

NEW DELHI: Amid opposition demands that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally clear the air on the 2G issue, Congress today debunked as "completely bizarre" charges of a mega-scam in allocation of the scarce S-band spectrum.

"This entire thesis of pegging the loss using 3G auction as a benchmark for valuing spectrum and calling it a scam is completely bizarre....and should be debunked," party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters.

Claiming that "apples are being compared to pears", he said it needed to be understood that if 3G price would have been applied to the 2G licences, then a telephone call would have cost Rs 50.

He wanted the opposition to understand that police, emergency services, broadcasting and meteorological services do also use the scarce spectrum.

Tewari's comments came close on the heels of BJP asking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to personally clear the air on the issue as Department of Space comes under the PMO.

"BJP is not satisfied with the government's silence on the maha-ghotala (mega scam)...as the Department of Space comes under him, the Prime Minister should break his silence and address the nation on how such a scam took place," BJP spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said.

The PMO has already issued a statement terming reports of loss in S-band spectrum allocation as "without basis".