'Has there been a scam worth thousands of crores...': Priyanka Gandhi questions BJP's intentions behind new Telecom Bill

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed worries about the new Telecom Bill passed in Parliament, raising questions about possible irregularities in satellite broadband spectrum allocation. She accused the Modi government of potentially ignoring rules and guidelines set by the Supreme Court since 2012 through this legislation.

In a Hindi social media post, the Congress leader raised multiple questions for the government, including whether there was a potential scam worth thousands of crores in the allocation of satellite broadband spectrum.

"Has there been a scam worth thousands of crores in the allocation of satellite broadband spectrum? Why was the new Telecom Bill passed when 143 opposition MPs were suspended? Is there any connection in this?" she asked. "Why was the rule of bidding removed in the allocation of internet spectrum from satellite through the new Telecom Bill?"

Gandhi Vadra criticized the government, asking why the rule of bidding in allotments was removed, which prevented other companies from participating. She questioned the financial loss to the national exchequer and who gained the most from the passage of the new Telecom Bill.

"What is the contribution of the Rs 150 crore donation received by BJP from the beneficiary corporate company in the big racket of 'pay donation and take business' that has been exposed in the name of electoral bonds?" she asked.

"Consider the sequence," she emphasized, noting a 150 crore donation to the BJP, followed by the dismissal of 143 MPs, the passing of the new telecom bill, and then the allocation of spectrum to donor groups without bidding.

"When will Modi ji tell the country, is this a coincidence (sanyog) or an experiment (prayog)," she said.

Last December, Parliament approved a bill allowing the government to temporarily control telecom services for national security reasons. The bill also introduces a non-auction method for allocating satellite spectrum.