Chennai: The 2G spectrum allocation case was the result of a larger plan to target and sideline DMK at the national level and with acquittal of its senior leaders A. Raja and Kanimozhi by a CBI court, the party has emerged like “gold refined by fire”, DMK working president M.K. Stalin said on Friday. In a missive to party cadre a day after Special CBI judge O.P. Saini absolved Raja and Kanimozhi of all charges, Stalin reiterated that the verdict has come as a “severe blow” to those who were hell bent on “tainting” the DMK, which had played a major role in national politics when the case was filed in 2010.
Raja and Kanimozhi have always maintained that they did no wrong and the entire case was fabricated, Stalin recalled and appreciated the strong arguments by the duo against the prosecution, which was heavily criticised by the judge in his voluminous judgement running to nearly 1,600 pages. “The DMK, after having faced insults and slander for baseless false charges, swam through the river of fire, and after seven years has emerged as gold refined by fire,” the Leader of Opposition said in the letter. The 2G verdict has come as a shot in the arm for the DMK, which is hoping for an early election to the Tamil Nadu Assembly to capitalise on the advantageous positions the party finds itself in following the demise of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa.
“The judgement showed the case was “fabricated with an aim of targeting and sidelining DMK” at the national level, Stalin said, adding that the party was always confident of telling the truth. Echoing similar sentiments expressed by Raja, Stalin suggested that the former Telecom Minister revolutionised the sector in India by bringing down the calling rates that led to a sharp increase in the number of people using mobile phones even in rural areas.
“Those with political vendetta, and media known for sensationalism blew up the issue against DMK in the electoral field. Raja was always confident of getting justice through a legal battle and he himself put forward strong arguments before the court even as Kanimozhi also proved she was not guilty,” Stalin said.
The then Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai made charges of “presumptive loss” of Rs 1.76 lakh crore in spectrum allocation and even those who were aware of the differences between “practicality and presumption” blew up the matter, he said, adding his father M. Karunanidhi was overjoyed when he was told about the outcome of the case.
