CAG report baffling

The report of CAG on the Rafale deal throws more questions rather than it answers and it is clearly a dent on the image of the institution, the reputation of which has never been so controversial than of now. CAG had previously unearthed so many scams in the previous governments, but never subjected to this type controversy. 

Hence this can be attributed to the force of the government in wake of ensuing elections. The CAG has let us down in more than one way. First the report commits itself to the pricing issue of 36 aircrafts and concludes that the deal was 2. 86 per cent cheaper than the one which has been negotiated by UPA without going deeply into the history which itself indicates that it wants to favour the ruling government and to silence the opposition which is making bad propaganda on the issue.

 Second the CAG has chosen not to deal with the cavalier manner in which the PM 36 aircraft of the shelf when there are guidelines to be followed. The issue of the government having agreed to drop the standard requirement for a bank guarantee or at least a sovereign guarantee and instead accepting a letter of comfort  from France has been repeatedly raised by critics as the disadvantage it puts India in future as the supply would take place  after 3 years and a faulty or delayed delivery may not be questioned. By not rising to the occasion the office of CAG has let itself down and the integrity of CAG has become point of discussion among the public. 

TSN Rao, Bhimavaram