Who is R.P. Singh?
RP Singh, who kicked up a new storm by alleging that senior BJP leader and PAC chairman MM Joshi had indluenced the 2G loss figure, is a former director general (Post and Telecommunications) at CAG.
who has questioned the Comptroller and Auditor General's estimates of presumptive loss of Rs.1.76 lakh crore in the auction of 2G spectrum allocation, is a former director general (Post and Telecommunications) atCAG. The man who authored the CAG's report on 2G spectrum has now said that it is not his report and that it merely carried his signature.
What are his allegations?
Singh has alleged that the 2G report was audited without guidelines and influenced by Public Accounts Committee Chairman and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi. He has said CAG officials visited the residence of Joshi on a holiday to help him prepare the panel's report on the 2G spectrum allocation. He has alleged he was told to sign on the dotted line.
What was his estimate on losses, recovery etc?
He has said, his report did not contain any loss figure. He has also said that his report mentioned that Rs.37,000 crore can be recovered from those holding excess spectrum. Singh told a national daily he had sent a report which calculated a loss of Rs 2,645 crore. This was on May 31, 2010. After that, his audit team was attached with CAG headquarters under Deputy CAG Rekha Gupta.
What does the Congress say?
UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi has said it looks like the 2G loss figure of Rs 1.76 lakh was manipulated.
Minister of State, Information & Broadcasting, Manish Tiwari says: We need explanation from the CAG and M.M. Joshi. PAC's job is oversight and not to measure up their report with CAG. Why did CAG officials visit PAC chief? The CAG has to explain the presumptive loss. These charges are serious.
Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has said: Once again what I said has come correct. This is a very serious issue that the person who audits it, his report has been exaggerated and presented. This is a very serious charge against one of the most experienced and senior member, Murli ManoharJoshi.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath says many members have demanded that they want to raise this issue in Parliament that what conspiracy is going on in the CAG. Many others things that Congress had been saying will prove to be true.
What others say?
CPI leader D. Raja says M.M. Joshi should explain his position. It is a very serious allegation against M.M. Joshi. If one believes Mr R.P. Singh, it is very serious allegation. My point is that Joshi should come forward and explain.
SP leader Shailendra Singh says: This is his version. Both the facts are before government and this should be investigated.
What does Joshi have to say?
Joshi has said: There is nothing wrong in CAG officials visiting me. It had been a practice that CAG officials meet the chairman of PAC to explain about its report and the process. The official concerned never objected to the report in JPC or PAC meetings.
How does his statement impact the 2G issue?
His statement has given an ammunition to the UPA government, which was under the cloud following the CAG report that had been tabled in Parliament in November 2010. The CAG had pegged the revenue loss to the exchequer on account of allocation of 2G spectrum in 2008 at whopping Rs. 1.76 lakh crore raising a political storm that led to sacking of Telecommunications minister A. Raja and setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the issue. Also, the fresh 2G auction managed to garner only Rs. 9,407 crore after 122 licences had been cancelled by the Supreme Court. This has caused the UPA government to question the disruptions in Parliament and a logjam over the issue.
What has been UPA's contention?
Finance minister P. Chidambaram and IT and Telecommunications Minister Kapil Sibal had described the CAG's loss estimate of Rs. 1.76 lakh crore as "mythical". Sibal had gone to the extent of saying there was zero loss - that created quite a political controversy.
Who is Murli Manohan Joshi?
Murli Manohar Joshi (born 1934) is a leading member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was the Union human resources development minister in the NDA regime. He won election to the 15th Lok Sabha from Varanasi.