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‘Politicians attempt to diminish CAG image cause for concern’
Several former CAG officials and bureaucrats have expressed concern over the current attempts to undermine and weaken the institution of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in connection with the loss figures relating to the 2G Scam.
Calling for a proper understanding of the Constitutional role assigned to the CAG for ensuring accountability of the executive to the Parliament, these officials have passed a resolution to support the Auditor and expressed concern over attempt to undermine its authority.
While the Government and the Congress have targeted the CAG for its assessment of losses of Rs 1.76 lakh crore due to 2G spectrum allocation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had criticised the Auditor for transgressing its mandate to question Government policies. CAG Vinod Rai had subsequently countered the PM on the issue.
In a Press statement, spokesman of the group and former Additional secretary, Ministry of Finance, S Krishnan, pointed out the financial accountability of the executive to Parliament is secured through the Institution of the CAG.
“The group deplored the attempt that is being made to denigrate the important role of this crucial institution,” he said.
Claming that the casualty of this development is the importance of accountability, Krishna said the instrument of accountability (CAG) is wittingly or unwittingly being damaged, and the enforcer of accountability (PAC) seems to be paralysed by internal dissensions.
According to Krishnan, there is a long and hoary tradition that the CAG is the friend, philosopher and guide of the PAC. The CAG has always been treated with great respect by the PAC and the Committee on Public Undertakings (COPU). It appears from media reports that this tradition is being abandoned and the CAG is being treated as a witness and summoned and questioned, he said.
Referring to attempt to question the CAG's figures by citing an official of the audit department, who had quoted a low figure of loss, Krishnan said it was amazing that the routine bureaucratic practice of a superior correcting the work of a subordinate is being given a sinister interpretation.
Krishnan said that an even greater cause for anguish as expressed by the group is that if media reports are correct, the PAC itself seems to be in disarray. " Instead of being a Committee of Parliament for enforcing the accountability of the Executive to Parliament, it seems to be functioning as a group of representatives of different political parties, with the representatives of the Opposition trying to cause the utmost discomfiture to the ruling party, and the representatives of the ruling party trying fiercely to defend that party against any criticism."
The meeting was attended by Ramaswamy R. Iyer, former Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Nilamabar Srivastava, former Minister, Audit, Indian High Commission London; S.Krishnan, B.S.Ramaswamy both former Additional Secretaries, Govt. of India, former Deputy CAG's - . S. Laxminarain, Dr. B. P .Mathur, R. Parameswar, Dharam Vir, I. P. Singh, Vijay Kumar and Kanwal Nath and A.M.Sehgal, former Controller General of Accounts, Lachhman Singh, Surinder Pal (both former Principal Accountants General), Rajeshwar Prasad, former Director Finance, Oil India, J. Mandal, former Director General, Audit and T.L.Gupta ,. K.L. Kapoor and Harish Chander (all Directors, Institute of Public Auditors of India).
