Telecom Lead India: Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has
quit as the head of EGoM on Telecom.
Three days ago, Sharad Pawar replaced Pranab
Mukherjee as the head of EGoM.
“I am stepping down as chairman of 2G EGoM to avoid
getting dragged into unnecessary controversy over 2G spectrum allocation. The
Prime Minister has agreed to relieve me as chairman of EGoM on 2G,” Pawar
said.
In February 2012, the Supreme Court cancelled 122 2G
telecom licences issued during the tenure of former telecom minister A Raja,
and asked the government to complete spectrum auction by August 31.
Pawar said that allegations against him in the 2G case
ill motivated.
Earlier, corporate lobbyist Nira Radia has alleged that
Pawar and his family are the real faces behind the DB Group and Swan Telecom.
In her confessional statement before CBI’s investigating
officer on January 25, 2011 Radia said, “As per the general perception in
Mumbai as well as outside, DB Realties directly or indirectly is controlled by
Sharad Pawar and his family members. Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka are key
persons in DB Realty.”
Sharad Pawar rubbished the allegations, while
acknowledging that Vinod Goenka’s family is known to him.
