PM,PC must step down immediately: Gadkari

Gadkari said the BJP had maintained right from the beginning that such a huge scam could not have happened without the tacit approval and consent of the PM and the then FM.

But speaking to PTI reporters,Chidambaram said the only issue examined by him,as finance minister in 2007,and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was if two new telecom licencees Swan and Unitech were selling their stake or diluting shares through issue of fresh equity.

He said the Telecom Ministry wanted the entry fee to remain at 2001-levels but the Finance Ministry always wanted it to be re-fixed through an auction.

They Swan and Unitech were inducting foreign partners or new partners. They had got spectrum and they had telecom licence. They were now inducting new partners. I think,the DoT Department of Telecom had approved the induction of new partners, he said.

Chidambaram said what was discussed in 2007 was how did the new partner get inducted. The new partner got inducted by way of fresh equity.

He said the BJPs attack could also be linked to the Ayodhya cases. We have quickened8230; we have persuaded the court to hear two Ayodhya cases on a more or less day-to-day basis, he said.

Meanwhile,the Congress has said that casting aspersions on the PM,whose integrity,probity and rectitude is respected by the world,is like spitting at the sun.

It will be a sad day in Indian democracy if we start placing unnecessary and excessive reliance on the statement of an accused who is trying to defend himself. Rajas statement is baseless. If at all there was anybody who raised questions about the processes in 2G case,it was the PM, said Congress spokesman Manish Tewari.

PC speak

On the Karnataka Lokayukta report on illegal mining,Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said that if correct,it is an indictment of the Chief Minister.

On the Lokpal Bill,he said the governments draft does not include the PM,but added that a final call would be taken by Parliament and the standing committee.