Cong blames govt for MTNL & BSNL crisis

New Delhi: Congress leader Pawan Khera has on Thursday accused the BJP-led government for making the government-run telecom service provider – BSNL—a loss making entity.

"It's the industry-friendly policies of the BJP government that have destroyed the prospering PSU. During the UPA regime, the MTNL had recorded a profit of Rs 7,838 crore. We turned around the PSU into a profit making company which has been demolished by the BJP government," Congress leader Pawan Khera said. Similarly, the condition of BSNL was also better during the UPA regime, but now it has turned out to be a loss-making entity.

"The balance sheet of BSNL has fallen by 16 per cent in just one year. The liability of the BSNL has increased to Rs 14,601 crore and assets of the PSU is Rs 9,918 crore," Khera said, adding that we are raising the demands of all the 45,000 BSNL employees as why the government is not able to pay their wages.

Raising the pertinent issue, Khera asked the government as where is the fault line in their policy? Why is a company, which was a profitable venture under the UPA, is registering losses every year for

the last five years consecutively?, he asked. "Why are the hands of MTNL and BSNL tied? 5G is something which is now being provided by other private players and you don't allow these companies to even go beyond 3G – why? As a result, you see these companies

bleeding to a slow death; slow but certain death," the Congress leader said.