The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) today termed as "factually incorrect" a media report which suggested that it had agreed with the then Telecom Minister A Raja's actions in 2007 before 2G scam and said the notings cited in the report could not be construed as the Prime Minister or his office looking the other way.
The PMO issued a press statement to say that it was "well known" at that time that there were conflicting interests between existing operators and new entrants and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had "felt that this matter required detailed examination and deliberation by the Department of Telecom in consultation with TRAI and others."
It said the Prime Minister had "felt that, under the circumstances, it was not appropriate for the Prime Minister's Office to pronounce on the matter till the subject had been carefully considered by the administrative ministry in consultation with TRAI and other concerned departments."
Therefore, "it was sent as an informal suggestion to the Department of Telecom for consideration."
The statement insisted that the "noting under question can in no way be construed to mean that the Prime Minister or his office looked the other way on matters relating to the grant of licence or spectrum charges etc.
"It related solely to the manner in which the approach summarized above should be conveyed to the Department of Telecom to be considered on merits without being viewed as a direction from the Prime Minister or his office.
