2G scam: Joshi terms Sibal’s remarks against CAG as ‘improper’
January 12th, 2011 - 10:02 pm ICT by ANI
New Delhi, Jan 12 (ANI): Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Murli Manohar Joshi on Wednesday termed the recent remarks of Union Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal against the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the 2G spectrum issue as ‘improper’, and added that it had hurt the hurt the dignity of the government auditor.
“The sense of the committee was that Sibal’s remarks were improper, against propriety and an attack on the dignity of PAC and CAG. The forum of the Committee was available to the Minister to make any observation or suggestion on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on alleged irregularities in the 2G spectrum allocations,” said Joshi.
Further defending the CAG, Joshi said that the auditor had never said his estimates on presumptive losses to the exchequer were final.
“The CAG had only mentioned three different figures based on three different models to calculate the presumptive loss. It had never said the report was final,” he added.
Joshi further said the PAC would consider steps that were essential to shun repeat of such incidents.
Sibal on January 7 challenged the CAG’s report on the 2G spectrum scam, saying the figure of Rs. 1.76 lakh crore is utterly erroneous.
“Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) figure of Rs. 1.76 lakh crore is utterly erroneous. The losses were much lower and that over Rs. 100 crore had been recovered after the government sent out notices,” he told reporters.
Kapil Sibal, however, said he respected the CAG, but was extremely pained at the methodology adopted by CAG for arriving at 2G spectrum (loss) figures that have no basis.
The Minister said he agreed with the CAG on two counts - one, that there was something wrong with the rollout of the telecom policy and two, that there was criminal culpability and which is why the CBI, under the Supreme Court, was investigating the matter.
Former Telecom Minister A Raja was forced to resign last month after a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) faulted him for undervaluing spectrum to favour companies who were largely ineligible for 2G spectrum, and added that the government had probably lost Rs.1.76 lakh crore in estimated revenue. (ANI)
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- 2G scam: 'Improper that CAG mad report public, says Congress - Jan 11, 2011
- 2G scam: 'No disrespect to any institution', says Sibal - Jan 21, 2011
- 2G scam: Congress backs Sibal says CAG shouldn't tell MPs how to speak - Jan 14, 2011
- Sibal under attack from Joshi over CAG remarks - Jan 12, 2011
- 2G scam: Joshi writes to Speaker about Sibal's comment on CAG report - Jan 21, 2011
- Congress refuses comment on criticism of Sibal - Jan 13, 2011
- 2G scam: Jaitley takes on Sibal, asks why A Raja quit as Telecom Minister - Jan 07, 2011
- Kapil Sibal disputes figure of Rs 1.76 lakh crore - Jan 07, 2011
- 2G loss calculation depends on methodology: PM - Feb 16, 2011
- 2G scam: Supreme Court criticises Kapil Sibal for undermining CAG report - Jan 21, 2011
- PAC chief Joshi writes to Speaker against Sibal - Jan 21, 2011
- Jayalalithaa slams Kapil Sibal for faulting CAG report - Jan 20, 2011
- 'Wrong to say Govt. made no losses in 2G scam', says CBI chief to PAC - Feb 15, 2011
- Rift forces adjournment of PAC meeting - Oct 31, 2011
Tags: bharatiya janata party, cag, cbi, comptroller, criminal culpability, crore, dignity, government auditor, information technology minister, irregularities, kapil sibal, murli manohar joshi, pac chairman, propriety, public accounts committee, rollout, rs 1, spectrum allocations, telecom policy, union communications