Murli Manohar Joshi trounces UPA's efforts on corruption

New Delhi, Jun 17: It is the turn of senior BJP leader and PAC chairman Murli Manohar Joshi to hit out at the ruling UPA government on their stand to wipe out corruption from the system. Bringing into focus crucial queries on the circumstances in which the CAG report on oil was leaked, he demanded government probe into the matter.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India had said that the oil ministry and its regulatory arm for oil hunting companies, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, showed undue favour to at least three private explorers, including the RIL.

The CAG has stated in its report, "The undue benefit granted to the contractor (RIL) is huge, but cannot be quantified."

Joshi in his lambast against the government sought, "The government should clarify why the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) suddenly raised oil prices, and under whose pressure did the EGoM take such decisions? What is the justification for the import-export formula that you have devised for oil? What is the rationale behind it?"

He reacted strongly on Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar over returning the PAC report assuming that the report was made public without the knowledge of the committee members. He said that she had given "no reason" for returning the report.

He also slammed the government on their efforts to curb corruption and said that the government was promoting corruption on the other hand. He also reiterated that BJP will go ahead with its protest against corruption.

He came down heavily on Home Minister P Chidambaram and said, "The Finance Minister at that time was Chidambaram. When he was at that portfolio, so many corruption issues came up. Now when he is the Home Minister, so many more issues with Pakistan are coming to the forefront." Joshi also demanded Chidambaram's resignation.

OneIndia News