Gesture to A Raja

Former Union Telecom Minister A Raja, whose name has been inextricably linked to 2G Spectrum scam, has been actively moving around in Parliament. He has made a valiant and yet an unsuccessful attempt to depose before the JPC. He addressed an impassionate letter to Speaker Meira Kumar with a copy to JPC Chairman P C Chacko. Meira Kumar forwarded the letter to the JPC Chairman. Though he has been allowed to give written submissions, to get his viewpoint on record, Chacko has finally decided that it is not possible to allow Raja to appear and depose before the JPC. The Congress has taken a calculated decision in this regard. It is widely believed the implementation of the first-come-first-served policy was at the root of the scam. Raja can have his version brought on record of the JPC. But if he appears before JPC, the Congress fears it would open the floodgates for similar demands for summoning Finance Minister P Chidambaram and others, which the Congress wants to avoid. That is why the viable alternative devised by the political managers is to allow him to file written submissions, even while disallowing Raja from appearing before the JPC.