Cong attacks CAG, questions its jurisdiction over policy

Congress today attacked the CAG over its report on alleged irregularities in CWG projects dubbing its functioning as "pips, leaks and squeaks" and questioned its jurisdiction over the government's policy issues.

Congress on Monday attacked the CAG over its report on alleged irregularities in Commonwealth Games projects dubbing its functioning as "pips, leaks and squeaks" and questioned its jurisdiction over the government's policy issues and appointment.

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The party said there is "no whisper of an insinuation" against the Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit in the CAG report on CWG-related projects and the PMO has "no role" in the appointment of Suresh Kalmadi as chairman of OC, which was a "fait accompli" due to documents signed by NDA government.

"There is no whisper of an insinuation on the issue of probity of the chief minister. If there is any alleged financial loss, then the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) needs to look into that," Congress spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters in New Delhi.

Launching a scathing attack on the functioning of CAG, he said it could be best termed as "pips, leaks and squeaks".

Questioning the role of CAG, he said "does CAG have the remit to comment on an appointment process as also the policy choices which a government make or may not make"?

Tewari said "even when CAG chose to comment on the appointment process in the context of the Commonwealth Games, it errs."

Tewari noted there are three main crucial dates which somehow escape CAG's attention and these dates are September 11, 2003, when the Host City contract for the CWG was approved by the cabinet, November 13, 2003, when the Host City contract was signed and November 1, 2004, when the IOA general assembly, which consisted of many eminences of the NDA, decided to elect Kalmadi as chairperson of organising committee.