The Hindu Business Line : I had planned to do away with roaming charges: Maran

Chennai May 14 Mr Dayanidhi Maran, who quit as Union Communications and Information Technology Minister, regretted that he had to step down before he could implement another ambitious idea of his — that of doing away with roaming by cellular operators.

He was to have held discussions with cellular operators later this week and his plan was to announce the decision on June 3 — the birthday of the DMK President, his granduncle and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi.

Talking to reporters here on Monday on his resignation, Mr Maran said he had initiated the process of lifting roaming rentals and charges to make India one unified zone for mobile users. He only hoped that his successor would implement the decision.

DMK's move

The DMK's administrative committee, chaired by Mr Karunanidhi, on Sunday night decided to take steps to get him dropped from the Union Cabinet.

Mr Maran declined to comment on the party's decision or the events that led to his own party members seeking his resignation. He had put in his papers last night the minute he came to know that his leader did not want him to continue as minister, he said.

Last week, Dinakaran, a Tamil daily owned by his brother Mr Kalanidhi Maran, published results of a survey on the possible political heir to Mr Karunanidhi, following which the newspaper's office and that of Sun TV network, in Madurai, were attacked by a mob resulting in three employees being killed.

More investments

Preferring to focus more on his performance as Information Technology Minister, Mr Maran said that during his tenure from 2005 his department had been responsible for attracting investments of over Rs 2.66 lakh crore in information technology, telecommunications and related industries. Nearly Rs 47,000 crore of this had come to Tamil Nadu alone, he said.

"Just drive up to Sriperumbudur (to the west of Chennai)," and you will see the number of companies that have come up there or are being put up. More investments were in the pipeline for the State, including that of Sanmina-SCI, the manufacturer of electronic products.

On being accused of anti-party activities, Mr Maran said he was yet to be told what he was supposed to have done. He said he was not capable of acting against the party's interest or going against his leader Mr Karunanidhi "even in his dreams".

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