Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

CAG report: CPI wants CM to come clean on charges

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD April 1. The Communist Party of India (CPI) has asked the Chief Minister to come clean regarding the serious charges contained in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG), which was placed in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

He said that the CAG's report showed diversion of Central funds for other uses by the State Government. While it is normal to find various "irregularities'' committed by every State Government in the CAG's annual report, what is evident here is a deliberate "manipulation of funds,'' the CPI State secretary, Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, alleged at a press conference here on Tuesday. He faulted the State Government's `cavalier attitude' to the annual CAG report and said that tabling it on the last day of the Assembly's session is indicative of the disinterest the Government had in discussing the issues raised.

Referring to the "serious allegations and charges'' levelled by senior IAS and IPS officers, Mr. Reddy demanded that the Government set up an enquiry committee headed by a High Court judge to probe all aspects of the matter. He said that the CPI does not take sides regarding the charges levelled by these senior officers but wanted the truth to be brought out. He also demanded a statement from the Chief Minister regarding the issues raised by these officers.

The CPI has also welcomed the Election Commission's decision not to allow returning officers to reject nominations but wanted clarifications regarding action to be taken against erring candidates.

They have also announced the setting up of `gruel centres' in Mahaboobnagar on April 4 followed by other such centres in Anantapur and Chittoor.

CPI(M) objects to Govt. move

Meanwhile, the CPI (M) taking strong exceptions to the Government circulating the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the concluding day of the budget session of the Assembly, said that the Government's move in placing the copies of the CAG reports on the last day were only aimed at covering up its failures on different fronts. ``The CAG report thoroughly exposed the lapses on the part of the Government on various counts and therefore, the Government in a bid to cover up its failures did not table it while the House was in session,'' the CPI (M) legislator, N. Narasimhaiah, said.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the CPI (M) legislator criticised the Government for sidelining the major issues facing the people including the inadequate drought relief measures and rampant sale of spurious seeds and fertilizers, which forced the farmers to commit suicides. "However, the Government did not respond to the Opposition pleas for payment of ex gratia to the kin of the farmers who committed suicide due to negligence on the part of the Government,'' he said adding that people who were keenly watching the proceedings would teach a lesson to the Government at an appropriate time.

Mr. Narasimhaiah also launched a scathing attack on the Ministers and the Government Whips for their alleged attempts to interrupt the Opposition members and said that it was not proper on the part of the Government to use the Assembly as a `playground'. "The CPI (M) will however take all the issues to the people in association with the like-minded parties and educate them on the Government's indifference to their problems,'' he said. He also criticised the Government for launching the `Jala Jagruti' programme at a time when the people were facing acute shortage of water and said: "The people do not want any movements now and the Government should take steps to provide drinking water to them instead of such programmes.''

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Govt. issues GO on temporary posts
• Nine killed as lorries collide
• Nandi awards presented
• CM assures industry of support for promotion of R&D
• Naxals' bravado on highway: narrow escape for TDP MLA
• `APSRTC squandering money'
• CAG report: CPI wants CM to come clean on charges
• Governor, CM greet people on Ugadi

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu