CAG did not create policy paralysis: Vinod Rai to WION

Former CAG chief Vinod Rai broke his silence on the issue of 2G and coal scam. Rai speaking exclusively to WION said that CAG’s stand on the loss stood vindicated. 

“The money which the government had earned through auction was within the band which CAG had said,” said Rai. The ex-CAG chief also spoke about his relationship with the political establishment. He went on record to say that no political pressure was put on him as the CAG chief and he was never persuaded by the political establishment to change his report.

Though he made it a point to say that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was incorrectly briefed on the role of CAG and he had to write him a letter to clarify his position as the head of the institution. 

Rai pointed out that that he never received any acknowledgement of his letter but when he met ex-PM Manmohan Singh six months later, he remembered the letter. Vinod Rai spoke on a variety of issues including A. Raja’s acquittal by the trial court. 

Rai told WION that he did not feel disappointed by the verdict. “CAG’s job was to audit and not investigate,” he said. The storm which CAG kicked off had reached the Supreme Court which ultimately cancelled the licenses paving the way for auction.

Rai rejected the charge that his team created policy paralysis and innocent bureaucrats got targeted. 

“Everyone needs to be accountable even bureaucrats. Acts of commission cannot be left unpunished. Only incompetent people complained of policy paralysis,” said Vinod Rai. 

He also made it a point to address the failure of the 2G case at the trial court. Rai said that it showed weakness on the prosecution side and CBI needs to address the issue. He also expressed happiness at the new norms being in place during auction of natural resources which came in the wake of the audit of the coal allocation during UPA’s regime.

Vinod Rai in his book "Good Governance" also touched on the issues relating to important pillars of democracy like Parliament and the Election Commission. 

Currently, the ex-CAG chief is at the helm of affairs in the Board Control of Cricket in India(BCCI). 

He was appointed as the head administrator of committee by the Supreme Court to oversee reforms in the cricket board. 

Rai admitted that long tenures were a problem and a group of people had come to dominate the sporting body. He said the new body will be in place by October 22. 

“Those who comply will remain with us and those who don’t will be outside the cricketing world. Every state associations will need to amend the constitution,” said Vinod Rai.