JOIN USA day after the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) reports created an uproar in Parliament, the Congress, on Saturday, reacted by accusing the auditing authority of sensationalising its findings and transgressing the mandate set by Constitution.
Criticising CAG Vinod Rai, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the former “has the habit of adding zeros and he should desist from it.”
Tiwari said tabling such reports by disregarding the “fine balance” (between different institutions) would have “long-term implications.”
Justifying his accusations, he said: “When they [CAG] cross the Lakshman Rekha and choose to start work on what they are not mandated for, then it is our duty to remind them to abide by constitutional propriety."He said the auditor should draw appropriate lessons from the Supreme Court which “failed to” endorse the presumptive loss in the 2G allocation.
The CAG, in its three reports, estimated that irregularities in coal allocation, airport management and land allotment cost the country Rs 3.78 lakh crore.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked Union Ministers V Narayanasamy and Sriprakash Jaiswal for blaming the CAG. “After the corruption in the United Progressive Alliance was exposed, the CAG is being attacked. The way Narayanasamy and Sriprakash Jaiswal raised objections to the CAG saying it does not have a mandate is a clear breach of privilege,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.