Prime Minister Manmohan Singh walked the extra mile in the Rajya Sabha to clear any confusion with regard to the finance ministry?s role in fixing the policy for allocation of 2G spectrum. In his reply to the motion of thanks for the President?s address, he referred to Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley?s specific allegation that he (the Prime Minister) had distanced himself from key policy decisions and in the face of explicit dissent from the then finance minister.
?I regret the attempt to create the appearances of differences through innuendo and misrepresentation,? he said. ?The government?s policy on the pricing of spectrum was taken on the basis of the Cabinet decision of 2003, which specifically left this issue to be determined by the ministry of finance and the ministry of telecommunications. Contrary to the assertion of the Leader of the Opposition, the record clearly shows that the ten finance minister, while he had an initial different view, which he communicated to me on January 15, subsequently consulted the minister for telecommunications and the two ministers worked out a formula on spectrum charges, which was reported to me in a meeting on July 2, 2008,? he said.
?Furthermore, this decision that was put to me by the two ministers was in line with the recommendations of the Trai in its report of August 2007. In that report Trai had clearly stated that only 3G spectrum should be auctioned and the policy for 2G spectrum should continue on the same basis as hitherto,? he added. ?the two ministers agreed on this, because of legacy considerations and I accepted their recommendation,? he said.