CAG Vinod Rai has political ambitions, slams Digvijay

Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Friday targeted Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai suggesting he has a political agenda like one of his controversial predecessors T N Chaturvedi, who had given a report on Bofors issue and soon after joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Hitting out at the national audit body for computing "imaginative losses" in coal blocks allocation and setting a precedent by going to press, he said,"I am reminded somewhat of the history of Chaturvedi, whenever I view about him (Rai)".

Singh said that the then Chaturvedi had given his report on Bofors on which the BJP created ruckus and did not allow Parliament to run.

"And after his retirement, he (Chaturvedi) became an MP of BJP. Therafter he became the Governor. This is history," Singh said.

Turning to Rai, he said with due regards to him, "I want to point out the manner in which CAG's reports are coming out since 2004, which are without facts and which speak of imaginary losses.

"An atmosphere is being created in the whole country that there have been scams of crores of rupees."

Ridiculing the approach of the CAG, he wanted Rai not to forget that India is a democratic welfare state, where huge sums are given for subsidy in PDS, fertilizers and petroleum products.

"Tomorrow, the CAG may say that a scam happened as the government gave so much of subsidy in the PDS, fertilizer and petroleum products," he said.

"These are totally imaginative figures. I have my objection to it. These figures have no solid base. I will request the honourable members of the Public Accounts Committee to dicuss with the CAG and his team on all these issues," Singh said.

The AICC generally secretary also targeted the BJP for disrupting Parliament over the issue reminding that its own chief ministers had opposed the auction route.