Upping the ante against the most hallowed centre of the UPA government, the BJP on Saturday accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of “directing the ongoing show” of maligning PAC chairman and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi with the aim of saving the PMO’s skin in the 2G spectrum scam. After the Congress onslaught against
Joshi since Thursday for the PAC’s draft report on the massive scam, BJP chief spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad released four letters exchanged between the prime minister and disgraced former Union telecom minister A. Raja, between November 2008 and January 2008, to claim the PM knew of the wrongdoings.
but chose to condone it.
“Dr Joshi was earlier hailed by the Congress as a highly dignified political personality, and the PM himself said he was ready to appear before the PAC. But it is Dr Manmohan Singh who is directing the ongoing show seeking to malign Dr Joshi and paint him as a villain for finding the truth about the scam,” said Mr Ravishankar Prasad at a press conference.
Hitting out directly at the Prime Minister, Mr Prasad said: “All this sponsored programme” began as soon as the 21-member PAC’s report, which was very critical of the prime minister’s role, reached the PMO. “In fact, this mudslinging campaign was being readied when the PAC called the PM’s secretary, the cabinet secretary and the Attorney General for appearance,” said Mr Prasad.