2G spectrum row backfires on BJP: Sonia

The row over 2G spectrum allocation losses has backfired on the BJP, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said Friday, after a former auditor blamed BJP's Murli Manohar Joshi for influencing the draft CAG report.

"Absolutely. I think so," Gandhi told reporters in the parliament complex when reporters asked if the Bharatiya Janata Party's accusations had backfired on the party.

This followed a disclosure by R.P. Singh, former CAG director general, that the report was influenced by Joshi. The BJP leader is also the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chief.

R.P. Singh told television channels that the CAG's 2G report had been influenced by Joshi and the loss figure mentioned in it was presumptive and was restored even after he deleted it in the draft.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari also hit out at Joshi.

"What is extremely important is that (in) May 2010, when the draft report is prepared by R.P. Singh, the loss is quantified at Rs.20,645 crore. But in November 2010, (when) the report is presented in parliament, the loss jumps to Rs.1 lakh 76 thousand crore," Tewari said. - IANS