You might have seen posts on social media saying BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) lost around 1757 crore rupees, and Reliance made BSNL lose even more money. But the real story is bigger than these headlines—it’s a spicy drama full of cheating and betrayal. If you still haven’t read it, here is the news link: BSNL’s failure to bill Jio for a decade cost govt Rs 1,757 crore: CAG
This mess started back in 2014, and it’s not just about money. It’s about how the Modi government gave away our country’s treasures to a private company like it’s some Bollywood plot twist.
The Big Deal: Master Service Agreement
It all began in 2014 when Jio was getting ready to launch in 2016. Before that, they signed something called the Master Service Agreement (MSA). In this deal, BSNL, which had India’s biggest mobile network, was basically gifted to Ambani’s Jio. The agreement said Jio could use BSNL’s towers and optical fibre network. Reliance Jio Infocomm, BSNL sign tower sharing deal
Back then, BSNL was the king of mobile networks in India. BSNL is a government company—means it belongs to us, the people. Jio, on the other hand, is a private company. So, a private player was set up to fight against our own government company.
Let me make it simple with an example: Imagine you run a dosa stall with all the best utensils and ingredients. Then a new guy opens a stall next to you, but he has nothing—no plates, no batter. Your manager gives him all your stuff. He’ll pay you a little rent every month and use your things to make dosas. Now, this guy starts selling dosas cheaper than you, sometimes even free, and tells everyone, “Don’t go to that old stall!” Your business is finished, right? That’s what happened here. Now, the question is, isn’t your manager responsible for this? Won’t you sack him for being an accomplice to that business person?
When Modi became PM, one of the first things BSNL did was hand over its massive telecom network to Jio. From villages to cities, BSNL’s whole setup was given away. No BSNL officer would dare make such a huge move without orders from the top!
How Jio Used BSNL’s Network
What does a telecom company need? A network! That’s where all the calls and data happen. When Jio launched in September 2016, it used BSNL’s entire network across India. Jio gave everyone free data, but it didn’t have its own towers yet. It was using government towers, government networks, and government internet to run its show while building its own setup.
This network was ours—BSNL is a public company, so it belongs to us citizens. But our own competitor used it to wipe us out. Who allowed this? You can guess!
The Money Deal
When this agreement happened, BSNL was told it would get paid. But earning money doesn’t mean giving away your whole shop! Jio had to pay Rs. 38,000 rupees per month for each tower, later negotiated it to 35,000 rupees. Around 4,000 mobile towers and 21,000 rooftop towers were handed over to Jio.
Because of this, BSNL started sinking. It’s like if I have a bicycle repair shop and I give all my tools to the guy across the street. He pays me rent but uses my tools to fix bikes cheaper or even for free, stealing all my customers!
How BSNL Was Slowly Destroyed
This all kicked off right after Modi took charge. BSNL’s first big deal basically shut down its business. BSNL needed money to upgrade to 4G, but Jio used BSNL’s own network to launch 4G while BSNL was stuck on 3G. 4G spectrum remains elusive for BSNL
The government just watched as Jio crushed BSNL and stopped it from upgrading to 4G. Now Jio is on 5G, while BSNL’s 4G only started around 2019. Think about it—BSNL has been, for ages, a strong company that was India’s communication backbone! 4G spectrum allocation to BSNL, MTNL back to square one
Security Worries
Now, even government offices use private company phones. No matter how much we trust them, private companies can listen to our secret talks.
Here’s a real example: Anil Ambani once owned Reliance Communications, which ran CDMA mobile services. The government asked them to record someone’s phone, but that person was Anil’s friend. Anil tipped him off that his phone was being tapped. The police later said they never sent such a request—someone faked it. Some private companies got caught, and some ran away.
Remember the Amar Singh tape scandal? A Super-secret letter from the Police somehow reached Anil Ambani, and the person being recorded found out. This shows private companies can spy on our country’s sensitive stuff.
Three Ways BSNL Was Ruined
We needed a national telecom company for our safety, but Modi’s government broke BSNL in three ways:
1. They gave its network to a competitor.
2. They didn’t let BSNL grow because that would hurt their “best buddy” in the “we two, our two” gang (you know, the crony club!).
3. They let Jio off the hook for tower fees.
By “let off,” I mean either they said, “Don’t charge Jio,” or they just didn’t send bills. No bill, no payment! Jio says, “You didn’t ask for money, so why should I pay?” For 10 years since 2014, Jio has used BSNL’s network for free because the government never asked for the cash.
What’s Happening Now
Because of this, Jio has killed off our biggest company. Recently, people talked about only 1,757 crores being claimed. In the telecom business, that too in ten years, that’s peanuts!
Think about how our country’s resources are being looted. Like in the coal scam, Adani got contracts to sell foreign coal at 8-10 times the price. Same way, BSNL and MTNL (which merged with BSNL) were destroyed. When Jio raised prices recently, people rushed to BSNL, but what’s the point? The government has tied BSNL’s hands and legs!
Not a Mistake; It Was Planned
If you think this is BSNL officers’ fault, then you’re too innocent—hats off to you! But the truth is clear: the government ruined BSNL. They didn’t let it grow, didn’t bill Jio for 10 years, and now the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) is pointing fingers. Who will investigate? No one dares! Raise this issue, and suddenly a Waqf Bill or US sanctions drama pops up to distract us—divide people with Hindu-Muslim fights. That’s how they play the game!
BSNL was weakened, and its resources were handed to someone else. A sad story with a dash of masala and a lot of truth!
