The PAC failed to arrive at a consensus on Friday on examining the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic or the PM-CARES Fund, set up to tackle the crisis
Clarion India
NEW DELHU — The Public Accounts Committee, one of the most important parliamentary panels that scrutinises key reports by the auditor general and has taken up issues, like the 2G spectrum scam, in the past, failed to arrive at a consensus on Friday on examining the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic or the PM-CARES Fund, set up to tackle the crisis, reports IANS.
The chairman of the committee, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is also the leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, had appealed to members to think of the nation and act with their conscience and find a consensus on the important subject, according to NDTV report.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which enjoys a majority in the panel led by senior leader Bhupender Yadav, blocked Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s attempt to name the PM-CARES Fund for examination, saying its funding was not sanctioned by Parliament and therefore it couldn’t be taken up by the committee.
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi trained his guns at the Prime Minister over the PM-CARES Fund saying why Narendra Modi was not sharing details when everyone knew which Chinese companies donated to it.
“Why is the PM so scared of disclosing the names of those who donated money to him for PMCares? Everyone knows Chinese companies Huawei, Xiaomi, TikTok and OnePlus gave money. Why doesn’t he share the details?” he tweeted.
Why is PM so scared of disclosing the names of those who donated money to him for PMCares?
Everyone knows Chinese companies Huawei, Xiaomi, TikTok and OnePlus gave money.
Why doesn’t he share the details?https://t.co/DLi8SrJ2Jy
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 11, 2020
Some opposition leaders claimed that the reason for denying the scrutiny of the COVID-19 pandemic and the government’s response is because the BJP is afraid of a closer look into the PM CARES fund which is not under the audit of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India or CAG.
According to NDTV report, the government has said the PM CARES Fund, set up as a war chest for national emergencies to draw individual and private sector donations, will not be looked into by the government’s auditor but by “independent” auditors.
This was the first time that the PAC met after the nationwide lockdown was lifted and unlike other committees where the presence of members were minimal, the BJP ensured there was nearly full attendance.
The Congress has also been critical of the BJP over the handling of border faceoff with China in Ladakh.
(With inputs from IANS)