2G scam: Sibal accuses NDA; BJP lashes back

New telecom minister Kapil Sibal, who replaced the DMK's tainted A Raja, has taken the 2G spectrum war into the oppsoition's camp, alleging that it was the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government's change of telecom policy in 1999 from the auction model to the revenue-share model which eventually led to the first-come-first-served controversy of 2001.

He also said that the NDA government increased the duration of licences to 20 years from 10 years.

In a TV interview on Tuesday, Sibal emphasised that the real losses from that policy shift was a whopping Rs1.43 lakh crore, while the CAG's estimate of Rs1.76 lakh crore lost during Raja's regime wasn't based on exact numbers.

The BJP was quick to hit back today, saying the telecom minister was indulging in the ''worst kind of cover-up''.

"I don't know whether Kapil Sibal, the Congress Party or the prime minister are sitting in the ruling party or the opposition. They are trying to involve others, as well thinking that their image might get a little less damaged. It doesn't work that way. We have maintained right from the beginning that they can investigate our matter right from the start," said BJP spokesperson Abbas Naqvi.