Jayalalithaa attacks Dayanidhi Maran for laying the 'basis for the Himalayan' 2G spectrum scam

CHENNAI: Taking on former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran of DMK over corruption allegation, AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa today charged him with laying the "basis for the Himalayan" 2G spectrum scam and raked up the Aircel-Maxis deal in which he and his brother Kalanidhi are accused.

Addressing an election rally in Central Chennai from where Dayanidhi Maran is seeking a third successive term in Lok Sabha, she also referred to allegations that Maran as Telecom Minister got over 300 BSNL telephone lines installed in a house which were used for his company-run TV channel.

"Do you know what Maran, Telecom Minister then, said in a Cabinet meeting convened to discuss 2G spectrum pricing after the Congress-led coalition first formed government? He said spectrum pricing was related to Telecom Department and that Finance Ministry should not interfere in it. This is the basis for the Himalayan 2G spectrum allocation scam," she said.

Another DMK leader and former Telecom Minister, A Raja, is the prime accused in the scam. Referring to the Aircel-Maxis deal, she accused Maran of 'deliberately delaying' issuing of licence to Aircel for seven circles and that he "made (Aircel) sell its shares to Maxis of Malaysia, thus ensuring crores of rupees of profit for a DTH company run by his brother Kalanidhi," she said.

Referring to the telephone exchange charge, she said Maran, grand nephew of DMK President M Karunanidhi, was running a 'private telephone exchange.'

"When Dayanidhi Maran was Telecom Minister, 323 BSNL telephone lines were given to his Chennai residence. That is, a private telephone exchange itself was functioning at his home," she said adding these were provided to benefit the TV channel run by the Maran brothers.

Despite CBI writing to Telecom Department in 2007, there was no action for 44 months and a probe was initiated only on the directions of the Supreme Court, she said.

In a series of public meetings in this constituency, which her party aims to wrest from DMK, Jayalalithaa said such a candidate should not win the elections. She also promised a slew of measures, including supply of drinking water and other amenities.