Can debate who did what to BSNL: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Ravi Shankar Prasad denied anyone was playing into the hands of private players.

Written by Sagnik Chowdhury
New Delhi | December 18, 2015 02:54 AM IST

1 min read

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Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has offered a debate in Rajya Sabha on call drops and the services and condition of state-owned BSNL and MTNL. After the CPM’s K N Balagopal raised the issue Thursday, Prasad said he wanted to “let the House know who did what to BSNL.” Balagopal alleged “someone in-house is playing into the hands of private players to finish BSNL and MTNL” and called for an inquiry.

Prasad denied anyone was playing into the hands of private players. Of call drops, he said the government had been very tough on private players, making them set up 20,000 towers. “Sanchar Bhawan is free from corruption,” he added. He added BSNL made a profit of Rs 10,000 crore in 2004, when the last NDA regime ended, but suffered a loss in 2014, then started making profits again.