UPA's approach towards security faulty, says Joshi

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman and veteran leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Murli Manohar Joshi today criticised the approach taken by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) towards national security.

Linking the issues of black money and absconding terrorists to that of national security, Joshi came out in firm critique of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying that while strict measures were required to tackle the issue, the government was wasting time indulging in cricket diplomacy.

“The approach of UPA towards national security is faulty. The fact that the government has not been able to ask for the extradition for a host of terrorists that are wanted for the multitude of terror activities is worrying. Instead of asking Pakistan hard questions we are indulging in cricket diplomacy,” he said.

Joshi also questioned the inability of the government to account for the black money, stating that the apparent shortfall of funds in the government’s books would be effectively resolved if the black money was accounted for.

The issue of black money gathered steam recently with the Hasan Ali case in which allegations of tax fraud and large sums of money having been stashed in Swiss accounts made headlines.

“The PAC and the comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG) have the right to question the government on issues of misuse of public money on account of corruption. The government must explain how Julian Assange can have names of account holders and the government has nothing,” he said. Again, on the issue of Osama Bin Laden’s death Joshi raised concerns about an instable Pakistan sating that an instable Pakistan and free terrorists in neighbouring country without proactive action by the government is a worrying factor.

PAC DISSENT
On the PAC draft report, Joshi said the report is now with the speaker and has a bright future. “The government will have to submit an action taken report on the PAC report.

“The future of the report is bright and is now with the Speaker. It is taken to be presented before the House,” he said. On issues related to the dissent in the PAC, he said there is no note of dissent in the report and if members of the Congress and the Samajwadi Party had problems, they should have raised them when the report was discussed clause by clause.