Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Puducherry, Former minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and senior Congress party leader V. Narayanasamy on Saturday termed as “untenable” and “unacceptable” ex-CAG Vinod Rai’s criticism against former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in allocations of coal block and the 2G spectrum. Speaking to reporters here, he said the erstwhile UPA government had only followed procedures and norms adopted by the previous NDA rule at the centre in 2G allocation. Rai’s remarks on the role of Manmohan Singh in 2G and coal blocks allocations is absolutely untenable and unacceptable, he said. He charged Rai with indulging in “double speak” as he had not made such comments while holding the post of CAG. “It has become a practice on the part of most retired officials and politicians to bring out books and air their views that are contrary to the truth,” Narayanasamy said. Rai, who is writing a book on his days as head of Comptroller and Auditor General of India, had in an interview criticized Singh. He said he felt Singh was part of the decisions to allocate 2G telecom spectrum on first-cum-first serve basis and coal blocks without auction. Narayanasamy also alleged that the Narendra Modi-headed government at the centre was only “publicity centric” and that issues affecting the people, including inflation, have not been tackled.
PTI
