Maran's resignation 'long overdue', say Opposition

New Delhi/Chennai, Jul 7 (PTI) Indian Opposition
parties, including the BJP and AIADMK, on Thursday termed
Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran's resignation from the Union
Cabinet as "long overdue" and asked Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh to explain as to why action against "corrupt" ministers
was delayed.
They also said the resignation was "too little" and
"too late" and that the CBI presented the "true facts" with
regard to the 2G Spectrum scam only because the investigations
are being monitored by the Supreme Court.
The BJP said Maran's resignation was "long overdue"
and demanded that Home Minister P Chidambaram too should
follow suit.
"P Chidambaram should resign. We have already demanded
this as the 2G spectrum scam could not have occured had the
Finance Ministry (then headed by him) not changed its stand on
the issue of auctioning radiowaves," BJP spokesperson Prakash
Javadekar said today.
On Maran, Javadekar said he should have resigned long
back and asked why does the Prime Minister delay the removal
of "corrupt members" of his team.
"Initially, efforts are made to defend them. When all
routes are exhausted, action is taken," he said.
In Chennai, AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa said it was
long overdue and that the Prime Minister should have made
him quit earlier.
"This is something long overdue. The Prime Minister
should have made him to resign long ago," she said.
CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat said Maran
resigned because there was no alternative for him and sought
an explanation from the Prime Minister on the issue.

CPI leader D Raja termed the resignation of Maran as
"too late" and sought Prime Minister's explanation on the
development.
"The resignation of Maran is too late.He should have
done long time back as the allegations are very serious. Now
it is for the Prime Minister to explain to the people and to
Parliament," he said.
He said with the series of scandals, the UPA-II
government stood thoroughly exposed.