Samajwadi Party to raise S-band spectrum issue in Parliament

Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today said his party would raise the issue of S-band spectrum allocation to a private firm by ISRO in Parliament.

Preliminary media reports about the allocation were sketchy and his party was gathering full information on the controversy, he told reporters here.

After ascertaining all the information, his party would raise the issue in Parliament, the former defence minister said.

On the joint parliamentary committee probe into the second-generation mobile telephony spectrum scam, Yadav said the UPA government's attitude in this regard seemed to be positive.

He said the government had agreed for a debate on the matter in the House after an all-party meeting yesterday in New Delhi.

To a question, Yadav said he was opposed to creation of a new Purvanchal state after seeing the condition of newly carved-out states.

"These new small states have become neglected children," he said.

The SP leader, however, said there was need for extra financial assistance for backward areas in Bundelkhand region.

He said atrocities against women, especially dalits, were on the rise in Uttar Pradesh.