New Delhi, January 12
Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal today came under fire from the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for his claims that the CAG’s calculation of Rs 1.76 lakh crore loss due to the 2G Spectrum scam was erroneous.

BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, who heads the PAC, said, “Sibal’s remarks were improper and against the propriety. His remarks have damaged the prestige of the CAG as well as the PAC. That was not right in any way.”

The issue of spectrum allocation was not slated to be discussed today, however some members raised it. Joshi said the CAG was a constitutional body tasked to scrutinise government spending. “He (Sibal) could have spoken to the committee if he had any misgivings over the CAG,” the BJP leader said.

Joshi said the PAC members today suggested that “appropriate measures should be taken to prevent such incidents (anybody speaking against constitutional authorities) in the future”. Asked what steps the PAC would take, Joshi said the committee “is thinking over that…..we will let you know”.

Asked how long the PAC will take to examine the report and come out with its own findings, Joshi said: “We cannot give a time frame. It can take a year or two. But we are examining it.”

The CAG stood by the report submitted to Parliament during the winter session. The report has raised a political storm in the country leading to a deadlock between the government and the Opposition.