Double talk.

Our most revered HRD Minister, Kapil Sibal, reputed to have defended Dawood Ibrahim, the feared smuggler and terrorist who is hiding in Pakistan, has attacked the Comptroller and Accountant General in an article titled " Can't Have Multiple Executives ". The subtitle reads " CAG policy prescriptions have triggered a constitutional crisis " Being a lawyer Mr Sibal is master of double talk so we have to forgive his colored rendition of facts. In its report CAG has pointed out that the Coal Ministry could have earned Rs 1.86 trillion by auctioning them instead of giving them away. At no time did it allege any wrongdoing or contemplate complaining to the police. Being the accountants for the people CAG fulfilled its function of valuing our resources. Very properly CAG presented its report to the Parliamentary Accounts Committee and it was the opposition that brought in the CBI to investigate. The CAG made a similar report on distribution of spectrum for 2G which was amply supported by the Supreme Court which cancelled all 126 licenses. It also brought the sordid Radia tapes into the open, which the government has quietly destroyed. Mr Sibal writes, " Whether or not a particular natural resource is to be auctioned is not for the CAG to decide." Absolutely. The CAG never asked for such powers. It merely adds figures based on market price of coal and how much windfall profit each company made. Why is it that most of those blocks are still not functioning and we are having to import coal? Perhaps Mr Sibal has forgotten that Arthur Andersen, one of the big five accounting firms in the world, surrendered its licenses over Enron or the role of PWG in not spotting Satyam being looted by Ramalinga Raju. We understand that natural resources maybe distributed cheaply to keep cost of electricity low so as to help people and industry but when licenses are sold on for huge profits then we have every right to question the method. But the main problem is the absolute loss of trust in politicians, especially the Congress. As early as 1948 there were questions about purchase of jeeps from England by Krishna Menon. Asked to look into improving governance Mr AD Gorwala, an eminent civil servant reported in 1951," One, quite a few of Nehru's ministers were corrupt and this was common knowledge. Two, even a highly responsible civil servant in an official report as early as 1951 maintained that government went out of its way to shield ministers." Then there was the Mundra scandal in 1956 with TT Krishnamachari as Finance Minister who resigned but was brought back by Nehru in 1964. Sukhram is still roaming around as is Sajjan Kumar. The Congress has been embroiled in corruption since 1947 and is seen as the most efficient crime syndicate in the world because of its control of the investigating agencies and the support of a freeloading press. For the first time someone is putting a number on the mind boggling amounts being looted. Long live the CAG.