A. Raja's upcoming book claims he was made the fall guy in the 2G scam, and questions the silence of Congress bigwigs
In 2014, a few months before his death, former attorney general Goolam Essaji Vahanvati requested a personal meeting with an accused, whom he had vehemently argued against. The invitation surprised the man who had emerged as a mascot of corruption in India.
Former telecom minister A. Raja, who was once charged by Vahanvati with betraying his trust and altering a press note on 2G licences, obliged the ailing Vahanvati's request.
Vahanvati, who was solicitor general from 2004 to 2007, had trashed Raja’s submission that then external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, Raja and he had had a meeting regarding the 2G policy.
Vahanvati told the Joint Parliamentary Committee headed by P.C. Chacko that there was no such meeting, and that Raja did not get the 2G policy 'approved' by Pranab or himself. However, a reply to an RTI query in 2013 confirmed that the meeting was held in the first week of December 2007, and the changes to the first-come, first-served policy on 2G spectrum allocations were made with 'consent'.
Raja, a staunch atheist, does not believe that it was fate that made Vahanvati call him over to confess his “guilt”. “There were 'people' who knew what was going on,” says a confidant of Raja, who is out on bail and shuttling between Tamil Nadu and Delhi and .
And, through his tell-all book, In My Defence, Raja wants everyone to know about what was going on. Excerpts of the book, accessed by THE WEEK, portray him as “the fall guy”.
The 356-page book, published by Penguin, is likely to be released in September. The book was supposed to be launched last year; why the delay? “Seniors in the DMK (Raja's party) wanted him to wait till the Tamil Nadu assembly elections got over,” says the confidant.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 28, 2016 من THE WEEK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 28, 2016 من THE WEEK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Themes Of Choice
As Savvy Investors Seek New Avenues, Thematic Mutual Funds Are Gaining Popularity
A golden girl
One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.
The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India
The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.
United in the states
Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds
COVER DRIVE
Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits
GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical
Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:
India is not a controlling big brother
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.
Comrade with no foes
Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!
Pinning down saffron
In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana
MAKE IN MANIPUR
Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict