CWG scam: PAC gives clean chit to Manmohan

New Delhi : Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today gave a clean chit to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the PMO in the 2010 Commonwealth Games scam. The PAC report will be tabled in the Lok Sabha tomorrow.
This will come as a huge relief to the Congress as reports of the PMO’s negative role during the Games dominated the 2014 General Election campaigns.
“There is no role of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the PMO,” confirmed PAC Chairperson and Congress leader KV Thomas after the panel met today. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had raised questions on the PMO’s role in the appointment of Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi as the Games’ Organising Secretary in 2004 despite objections by then Union Sports Minister Sunil Dutt.
Briefing newsmen, Thomas, who demits headship of PAC in April, said it had been recommended to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to make it obligatory on part of the government to take action on PAC reports. A recommendation has also been made to allow media to be present during deliberations of all committees of the PAC.
On the merit of the PAC led by him pitching for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appearance before it to answers queries relating to demonetisation, he said: “It is not about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, or PM of this or that party. It is matter of strengthening democratic institutions. Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister had offered to appear before the PAC with regard the 2G Spectrum.”