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Manmohan Singh ignored all warnings and let 2G, coal, CWG scams happen

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  • Manmohan Singh ignored all warnings and let 2G, coal, CWG scams happen

    Manmohan Singh ignored all warnings and let 2G, coal, CWG scams happen, ex-CAG Vinod Rai says

    NEW DELHI: Former comptroller and auditor general Vinod Rai has said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh knew about the 2G scam, which according to a CAG report had cost the exchequer Rs 1.76 lakh crore. Talking to Times Now's Arnab Goswami, Rai, busting Singh's claim that he didn't know about the scam said, Singh had knowingly disregarded the-then commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath's warning on the issue and allowed it to take place.

    Rai said: "All matters of importance go to the Prime Minister. And ultimately the buck stops on the Prime Minister's desk. In this particular case I found that minister of his own council who were writing to him again and again, saying that problems are, or there is talk about developments in the telecom sector, I quoted Mr Kamal Nath who is was the commerce industries minister, writing to the Prime Minister and expressing concerns about the development in the sector. I have written about the finance ministry expressing concerns, I have written about the law ministry expressing concerns. Now, all these things went to the Prime Minister."

    Rai also said that if Singh had wanted he could have stopped A Raja from going ahead with the 2G spectrum allocations.

    Replying to a question on whether Rai thought if Singh could have prevent the scam, he said, "All matters of importance go to the Prime Minister. And ultimately the buck stops on the Prime Minister's desk. In this particular case I found that minister of his own council who were writing to him again and again, saying that problems are, or there is talk about developments in the telecom sector, I quoted Mr Kamal Nath who is was the commerce industries minister, writing to the Prime Minister and expressing concerns about the development in the sector."

    "I have written about the finance ministry expressing concerns, I have written about the law ministry expressing concerns. Now, all these things went to the Prime Minister," he added.

    'Manmohan ignored Pranab'

    Rai also said that the former PM also knew about the scam in the coal block allocations that later came to be known as Coalgate. The CAG had estimated that the exchequer had lost Rs 1.86 lakh crore rupees due to the coal scam.

    Rai said the-then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and he had jointly cautioned Singh on Coalgate. Despite the warning, Singh chose not to do anything.

    He said, "... I must say to the credit of then finance minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee that 2-3 issues that I brought to his notice, he immediately took them up. Another issue notice that I brought to his notice was the amendments which the audit tax need to be taken & he acted upon it immediately."

    Rai also said, "... there were evidently people in government and outside the government who did not want change in the (coal block allocations) process ... it was very cosy for them to continue with the ongoing process.

    'Manmohan let Kalmadi control CWG 2010'

    On being asked about Suresh Kalmadi's involvement in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, Rai said, instead of mandating a minister with the responsibility of hosting the games, the government trotted the idea of giving the charge of the games to the Indian Olympic Association. The IOA was then headed by Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi.

    He said, "(The sports ministry had no role in hosting and managing the Commonwealth Games) ... in fact the former, the-then sports minster late Sunil Dutt wrote very strongly against it also (to the Prime Minister)."

    "... After that letter was received, I don't think any action was taken on it," he added.

    'Praful Patel forced a debt-ridden Air India to buy more planes'

    Vinod Rai also said NCP's Praful Patel, who was the civil aviation ministry, ordered the ailing Air India to buy 68 planes and not 28 as was originally approved. In order to to this, Patel gave a long-term perspective as an excuse.

    This meant Air India had to spend $5 billion more than planned as it had to by 40 extra aircraft.

    He said, "... it (the cost of purchasing the planes) went up from about 1000 million dollars to about 6000 million dollars ... that's the way it went. And we found it strange because these proposals are always examined in the finance ministry and the finance ministry was not convinced about it but the finance ministry wrote that this is a supply side, supply driven proposal. Which means just because you have bought more aircraft doesn't mean that Air India is going to come out of the red but more damaging part of it was, 97 per cent of this purchase amount was going to be debt. I don't think any airline can survive by such a huge debt."

    Congress reacts, BJP finds merit

    The Congress reacted sharply on Vinod Rai's allegations. Former Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam said, "Vinod Rai is lying, I have never met him outside the PAC meeting." Reacting to Vinod Rai's allegations, former foreign minister and Congerss leader Salman Khurshid said, "Don't accept sweeping statements made on scams."

    Former I&B minister Manish Tewari challenged Rai to a debate.

    The BJP on the other hand found merit in what Vinod Rai revealed during the interview. Party spokesman Siddharth Nath Singh said, "It is quite possible what Vinod Rai is saying has merit."
    Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

  • #2
    Full text of Vinod Rai's interview with Arnab Goswami

    Comments tomorrow.
    Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

    Comment


    • #3
      Its no secret, MMS let coalition politics interfere in running the country. But going by the Mumbai train fare rollback and the halting of talks with Pakistan, it is not clear that the NDA govt. will not do the same on a case to case basis

      I would like to address another issue though. There is a lot being talked about the coal scam. I see the blame lie mainly with the politicos and the bureacrats (thought the babus did raise flags). If the allotments are now vacated, I think the business community will continue to be on tenterhooks worrying about the affect of future judicial action on current actions. That is not investor friendly
      "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" ~ Epicurus

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Oracle View Post
        NEW DELHI: Former comptroller and auditor general Vinod Rai has said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh knew about the 2G scam, which according to a CAG report had cost the exchequer Rs 1.76 lakh crore. Talking to Times Now's Arnab Goswami, Rai, busting Singh's claim that he didn't know about the scam said, Singh had knowingly disregarded the-then commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath's warning on the issue and allowed it to take place.
        yeah, he did what every other PM has done but all of a sudden we're developed a conscience and are calling it out and naturally this will never ever happen again because henceforth were are going to be so damn squeaking clean & transparent.

        This is why the last govt got paralysed as everyone was too damn scared to take any action lest they be hounded into whatever. i wonder how the present govt that is very intent on action is going to be able to sidestep all of this.

        Am so sick and fed up if this '2g scam'. When will they convict someone over it. Is it that they cannot do this and so the only recourse is to run to the street.

        It's direct result is to increase the cost of mobile usage. Natural since companies are just going to pass the cost on to we the customers.

        Great stuff.i so look forward to yet more scams that will further increase expenses. Ooh coal thats to do with power you know what, my power bill is too damn low and needs to be much more.
        Last edited by Double Edge; 12 Sep 14,, 23:11.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Double Edge View Post
          yeah, he did what every other PM has done but all of a sudden we're developed a conscience and are calling it out and naturally this will never ever happen again because henceforth were are going to be so damn squeaking clean & transparent.
          Credit goes to the media. With 24X7 news channels, people even in remote villages are getting to know of the mis-deeds of Congress and understand why their village doesn't have a road, electricity connection or even those promised tubewells. I wouldn't call it a suddenly developing conscience, but awareness. People were sick of the Congress and kicked it out.

          Originally posted by Double Edge View Post
          This is why the last govt got paralysed as everyone was too damn scared to take any action lest they be hounded into whatever. i wonder how the present govt that is very intent on action is going to be able to sidestep all of this.
          The last Government ruled for 60 years, sometimes alone and other times with coalition parties. You do have an interesting question. Why not have systems in place that computerizes every auction and tenders floated by the Government.

          Originally posted by Double Edge View Post
          Am so sick and fed up if this '2g scam'. When will they convict someone over it. Is it that they cannot do this and so the only recourse is to run to the street.
          I don't think anyone would be convicted. Just recently Gadkari was in the limelight for investments in different companies that he owns, as well as Sushma Swaraj with the mining mafia in Karnataka. The present Government will come to an agreement with the last one and things will settle down, files will go missing, and the CBI will again be made to look toothless. You scratch my back, I scratch yours.

          Originally posted by Double Edge View Post
          It's direct result is to increase the cost of mobile usage. Natural since companies are just going to pass the cost on to we the customers.

          Great stuff.i so look forward to yet more scams that will further increase expenses. Ooh coal thats to do with power you know what, my power bill is too damn low and needs to be much more.
          We've had a lot, let's hope no more.
          Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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          • #6
            What else could a puppet like MMS do when all the files went through Antonia's office for approval and MMS was needed just to sign.

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