CPI(M) sees political motive behind CAG report row

‘Selective leak aimed at putting govt. in the dock ahead of local body elections’

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leadership is understood to have reached a broad understanding against going overboard on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that questioned the probity in procurement as part of the police modernisation programme.

Sources akin to the developments told The Hindu that the leadership, though had chosen to exercise restraint and decided to wait till the official procedures on the report were completed in its natural course, felt that the selective leak of certain parts of the report was politically motivated and aimed at putting the government in the dock ahead of the local body elections.

In the normal course, the report after tabling in the Assembly would be examined by the Public Accounts Committee. It would seek details on the audit observations from the department concerned and prepare an action taken report. The committee with V.D. Satheesan as chairman has 10 members, three United Democratic Front (UDF) and the remaining Left Democratic Front (LDF).

The party leadership is learnt to have concluded that most of the objections raised in the report are technical and will not have any bearing on the government. The leaks as well as the row over the report are being likened to the manner in which crucial and confidential information regarding the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) were leaked out.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, while replying to the allegation against the police in the Assembly, had said that action on the CAG report would be taken in the normal course. The party leadership had adopted a similar stance, but had taken seriously the leakage of portions of the report to the Opposition. Some of the issues that figured in the report were raised by P.T. Thomas on the floor of the House ahead of tabling it.

Such developments prompted the CPI(M) leadership to conclude that the moves were politically motivated and that the row would die down once the departments concerned furnished the reply to the audit objections, sources said.