Congress extends support to Dikshit, alleges CAG erred

While the opposition stepped up its attack on the Congress and targetted both the prime minister’s office (PMO) and the Delhi chief minister’s office, the Congress on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Comptroller and Auditor General of India for its report on CWG irregularities.

While the opposition stepped up its attack on the Congress and targetted both the prime minister’s office (PMO) and the Delhi chief minister’s office, the Congress on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Comptroller and Auditor General of India for its report on CWG irregularities.

HT Image

The party also reiterated its support to Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. “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 Maneesh Tewari said. He also hinted at CAG’s lack of jurisdiction in policy decisions.

The party also maintained that the PMO had no role in the appointment of Suresh Kalmadi as chairman of the Organising Committee (OC), which was a “fait accompli” due to documents signed by NDA government.

Tewari then went on to describe CAG’s work as “pips, leaks and squeaks”. “Does CAG have the remit to comment on an appointment process as also the policy choices which a government makes or may not make?” he questioned.

“Even when CAG chose to comment on the appointment process in the context of the CWG, it erred,” he added.

Tewari mentioned that there were three crucial dates “which escaped CAG’s Attention.” One of them, he said, was September 11, 2003 when the Host City contract for the CWG was approved by the Cabinet. Another was November 13, 2003 when the Host City contract was signed and the last was November 1, 2004, when the IOA general assembly—which consisted of many eminent leaders of the NDA— decided to elect Kalmadi as chairperson of OC, he said.