Former finance minister P Chidambaram.Calling the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report on the Rafale deal “useless”, former finance minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said the institution had allowed itself to become a “joke”. “The CAG allowed itself to become a joke and an honourable government in future will restore the prestige and credibility of the institution,” he said.
The Congress leader added, “If you thought those 33 pages will bring to light the hidden aspects of the deal and explain matters relating to numbers, pricing, delivery etcetera and comment on correctness and propriety of a transaction, you will be disappointed.”
The former Union minister also claimed that the report which was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday contained no useful information or conclusion. Its motive is to hide the truth, he said.
Stating that CAG is not God, Chidambaram rejected the Centre’s contention that the report should be the final word on the contentious deal. He reiterated his party’s demand for a joint parliamentary panel probe, saying only it can call for all relevant records.
The CAG report, which was tabled in Rajya Sabha on the last day of the Budget session, stated that the government’s contract with France for the purchase of 36 fighter aircraft was 2.86 per cent lower than the price assessed by the CAG for the UPA government’s inconclusive Rafale deal.
The CAG, which did not disclose pricing details in absolute terms, came to this conclusion after considering fourteen items under six component packages of the deal.
