The Tata group chief has replied to the open letter written by promoter of BPL Mobile and Rajya Sabha MP in a very hard-hitting manner, something unheard of from the group. But in the end, Mr Tata has also pulled the BJP-led NDA regime into the 2G spectrum allocation controversy

Industrialist Rata Tata has in a hard-hitting response said that the open letter (http://www.moneylife.in/article/8/11988.html ) written by Rajeev Chandrashekhar, member of parliament (MP), is nothing but the current trend of attempted character assassination through widespread media publicity, couched in pain and concern for upholding ethics and values. The reply by Mr Tata and a counter-reply by Mr Chandrashekhar has ignited a new public debate that everyone, including the media, is keenly watching.

In a letter (a copy of which is with Moneylife), Mr Tata said," Your (Mr Chandrashekhar's) letter is based on untruths and distortion of facts and l feel compelled to place the real facts, as bluntly as possible before you. l hope this will also be broadly disseminated to the same audience as your letter. l am of course well aware that some media houses will choose not to publish or air my response in deference of their owners, who are the real gainers in the telecom sector, with whom you have unfortunately aligned to provide a massive diversion of attention away from the real culprits in the telecom space."

"Your (Mr Chandrashekhar) affiliation with a particular political party is well known and it appears that their political aspirations and their endeavour to embarrass the Prime Minister and the ruling party may well have been the motivation behind your letter and the insinuations which you make," the Tata group chairman said in the letter.

He further said Mr Chandrashekhar approached him to sign an appeal to the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani and then finance minister Jaswant Singh, not to allow fixed mobile service providers to provide mobile services. Mr Tata said," l am also enclosing a copy of my letter to Mr Vajpayee dated 12 January 2001, in which l advocated an open, transparent process giving all parties a chance to be heard-a stance that I have not changed till date. This had angered you and the other operators who were not interested in a level playing field and lobbied aggressively through COAI to ensure that a technologically agnostic environment would not come to pass." (COAI stands for Cellular Operators Association of India.)

In his reply today to Mr Tata's letter, Mr Chandrashekhar said, "I am only disappointed, but no longer surprised, that in sharp contrast to my efforts to go out of the way to keep this debate relating to facts and policy discussions-your letter is intensely personal, attributes feeble motives (including amusing political ones) and is most unbecoming of the House of Tatas. I can only think that this is a lapse in good judgment. I particularly find your self-appointed defence of the Prime Minister and Government very irrelevant."

The whole episode of allegations and counter-allegations erupted when the Niira Radia tapes were leaked and published by sections of the media. In some tapes, it is reported that Mr Tata was discussing some issues with Ms Radia, who is known as a lobbyist. Incidentally, it is Ms Radia's firm, Vaishnavi Corporate Communications, which handles all public relations (PR) for the Tata group.

Defending the decision to appoint an external agency as PR service provider, Mr Tata said that about 10 years ago the group was under attack in a media campaign to defame its ethics and value systems and it was instituted and sustained through an unholy nexus between certain corporates and the media through selected journalists.

"As Tatas did not enjoy any such 'captive connections' in this environment, the Tata Group had no option but to seek an external agency focused at projecting its point of view in the media and countering the misinformation and vested interest viewpoints which were being expressed. Vaishnavi was commissioned for this purpose and has operated effectively since 2001," the Tata group chief said.

Calling the present situation in the telecom industry and political scenario as a "smokescreen", Mr Tata said, "When the present sensational smokescreen dies down, as it will, and the true facts emerge, it will be for the people of India to determine who are the culprits that enjoy political patronage and protection and who actually subvert policy and who have dual standards. I can hold my head high and say that neither the Tata Group nor l have at any time been involved in any of these misdeeds."

"The selective reporting and your (Mr Chandrashekhar's) own selective focus appear to be diversionary actions to deflect attention away from the real issue which plagues the telecom industry, in the interest of a few powerful politically connected operators. Perhaps it is time that you (Mr Chandrashekhar) and members of the media do some introspection and soul searching as to whether you (Mr Chandrashekhar) have been serving your masters or serving the general public at large," the Tata group chairman added.

Click here to see the letter written by Mr Ratan Tata to Mr Rajeev Chandrashekhar
(http://www.docstoc.com/docs/65792764/Ratan-Tatas-letter-to-Rajeev-Chandrashekhar )— Moneylife Digital Team