People's Democracy

CONFRONTED with the demand for CBI probe into Centaur Hotel scam, subsequent to the release of CAG report, Arun Shourie, Minister of Disinvestment, reportedly said that “it was ironic that we swallow or vomit allegations”. Words of wisdom indeed. But what about eating one’s own words? Does he remember what he said in Upper House of Parliament on 27.2.2001, in response to a calling attention motion on `infamous’ BALCO sale? His words were

Where are those reports? Modern Foods was sold in December 2000 and BALCO in March 2001, but Parliament and the people are yet to see a CAG report on sale of any PSU. Why this abnormal delay? Shourie would say "Ask CAG". There lies the catch. Report cannot be finalised if government applies dilatory and intimidatory tactics. That is what is being done.

The present CAG report on Centaur addresses only one aspect, i.e. the revenue loss of Rs 145 crore because of undercharging of lease rent and reduction of turnover levy. It is not on the sale and resale of the hotel which had created a public outcry last year. Still it was enough to rattle Shourie. With comments like, "The methodology of computing notional losses is idiotic – sorry, peculiar", "CAG needs streamlining", "if same logic of notional losses was extended to earlier disinvest-ments deals, the government should compensate Reliance and Tatas" etc, etc and finally "I will take up the issue with cabinet secretary and CAG." What do these comments indicate? – Gentle persuasion or open intimidation? Is any minister/government supposed to take up the issue when the CAG report is already tabled in Parliament? For clarification let us go back to Shourie’s sermons to the Rajya Sabha when he replied to the same BALCO debate on 27.12.2001, while dodging specific charges of under valuation and cartelisation in the sale of BALCO:

So in February 2001, the minister says, "The government does not come into picture" and in February 2004, he threatens he would go to cabinet secretary and CAG. For what? – for using his authority in educating CAG on computation of notional losses. Probably some people vomit as well as swallow as and when it suits them.

But he is not alone. In December 2001 when CAG report on "Coffin scam" came out, the other Arun (Jaitley) had his words of wisdom "CAG is an institution appointed to find faults" and CAG’s indictment was a "routine matter", etc. NDA convenor George Fernandes insisted on describing CAG’s observation as "hearsay". After his reinstatement as defence minister, Fernandes in January 2002 forwarded a booklet tilted "Aluminium Caskets" authored by R V Pandit, which apart from maligning CAG report, demanded resignation of the CAG over what he called the "scandal of CAG review". This gross impropriety was brought to the notice of the prime minister and his silence confirmed the assent given by this government to such a frontal attack on a statutory authority. A cabinet minister sponsored this attack. After all he had been eloquently silent when similar attacks were made on Chief Election Commissioner or on NHRC. `Mouna Purush’ was more concerned about "vikas" through scams.

This reminds us the following sentences from Indian Express editorial dt 21.7.89 titled "Expose the truth" on Howitzer contract for Bofors:

"….Mr Gandhi has a huge parliamentary majority that will turn its howitzers on the CAG instead of the Government and Doordarshan can be relied on to follow Mr K K Tiwari’s dictum that credibility does not matter…. Cynics and Congress-wallahs will claim that CAG report means little. It does not provide legally conclusive proof of corruption. Some of the CAG’s comments on the choice of the Bofors howitzer can be called subjective nitpicking. But the key issue is not a technical one about the relative merits of the Bofors and Sofma guns. What is damning is the Govt’s attempt to dodge inconvenient questions from the CAG for two years…. This suggested a concerted attempt on the part of those in power to hide rather than pursue the truth…" (Incidentally Shourie was the editor)

How prophetic! You have to only substitute "Congress wallahs" "with present "Shining-wallahs". As against Gandhi’s huge parliamentary majority turning its howitzers on CAG, NDA’s thin majority have used 3 big guns (Jaitley+George+Shourie), backed by the `Mouna Purush’ to subvert CAG’s constitutional authority.

n What is damning in the present case is government’s dilatory tactics to dodge inconvenient questions on undervaluation and cartelisation in the case of disinvestments deals. Otherwise even if the final report is not forthcoming why is the government shy of furnishing the draft reports along with its replies for public scrutiny?

n If Rajiv Gandhi government dodged question for two years in Bofors deal, which is a pygmy before disinvestments deals involving thousands of crores of public assets, the present government has taken four years either by dodging or by intimidation publication of CAG report on issues like Balco and Modern Foods, ITDC Hotels, Jessop, Paradeep Phosphate, HCI Hotels, IPCL, VSNL, etc which have agitated the minds of the people, including MPs, professionals, employees, media, etc.

n In Centaur’s case, the government did not heed even parliamentary committee’s recommendations for investigation by CVC. Absence of a single CAG report, refusal to probe Centaur deal through CVC or CBI after CAG report on revenue loss suggests concerted attempt on the part of those in power (Shining wallahs) to hide rather than pursue the truth.

The fact that disinvestment scam is mother of all scams where vast sum of public money has been squandered through undervaluation during last five years without a public scrutiny can no longer be denied. Attempts are being made to silence the critics by questioning their intention and to intimidate and malign the CAG.

But to what avail? Back to Shourie from his article (or vomit!) titled "Will all great Neptune’s ocean….?" dt September 3, 1989, in Indian Express:

"Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood

lean from my hand?

No, this my hand will rather

The multitudinous seas incarnadine

Making the green one red."