Modi Govt. taking defence lightly: Congress reacts to CAG report

The Congress on Saturday slammed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central Government over the CAG report that highlighted the shortage of ammunition in the Indian Army, adding that the Centre is answerable for taking the security matter lightly.

Asserting that Prime Minister Modi never took the defence matters seriously, Congress leader Anand Sharma said the government should ensure that the genuine needs of the Army are met.

"The CAG report is disturbing. There is tension on both the borders. There has been heavy artillery firing for a long period of time. If the country is not prepared or under prepared and the requirements of ammunition and spares have not been met for three years then this government is definitely in the dock. The Prime Minister and his government have to answer," Sharma told ANI.

He further said the Prime Minister only believes in talking and does not pay heed to serious issues and good governance.

"For any professional Army, particularly when you got such large frontiers against nuclear-powered neighbours, there is no room for shortages of critical spares and ammunition," he added

Sharma went on to say that the Prime Minister and the ruling Government have not taken defence seriously as there is no full-time defence minister, since the NDA Government has come to power.

"Since he assumed this office, he has taken defence very lightly. We don't have a full-time defence minister. When he (Prime Minister Modi) took oath, there was no full-time defence minister, then Mr. Parrikar came, who was non-serious and non performer. Now he has gone back to Goa and now we are back to square one and have no full-time defence minister ," he added.

Sharma further said that his party does not want to politicise the security issues, but as a Opposition it was their duty to question the Central Government.

Sharma's statement came in the backdrop of a Controller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report that highlighted the shortage of ammunition in the Indian Army.

According to the CAG report, only 20 percent of the armoury which is critical for a war-like situation is available with the army. The stock of nearly sixty types of weapons- out off a possible hundred and fifty two-is not available with the army in substantial numbers.