Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday slammed the CAG report on the Rafale deal as “useless”, saying the institution has allowed itself to become a “joke”. The report contains no useful information or conclusion and its motive is to hide the truth, the senior Congress leader said at AICC Press briefing.

He reiterated his party’s demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the deal, saying only it can call for all relevant records. The CAG is not God, he said, apparently rejecting the ruling BJP’s contention that the national auditor’s report should be the final word on the contentious issue.

Chidambaram cited a Defence Ministry letter to the auditor watchdog forcing it to redact the commercial aspect of the deal from the purview of the audit.

According to Chidambaram, the some of the pages in CAG copy brings to light the hidden aspects of the deal that explain matters relating to number, pricing, delivery etc.

Reading out an extract from the Preface of the CAG, Chidambaram quoted it saying Defence Ministry on January 15, 2019 had requested CAG Office to redact commercial details of MMRCA in the Audit Report citing reference to a particular Article of the Inter-Governmental Agreement.

“This Office had taken up the issue with MoD vide letter dated February 5, 2019, wherein Ministry was intimated about CAG’s reluctance/refusal to carry out the redaction of price information, on account of difficulties in comprehension and lack of precedence of redaction of commercial details in the Audit Reports. However, Ministry strongly reiterated their stand for redaction of commercial details in MMRCA case on the grounds of security concerns and the said Agreement vide their letter dated February 6, 2019. Accordingly, commercial details in the Audit findings of the MMRCA contract have been redacted,” Chidambaram quoted the Preface of CAG copy.

He further went on to comment the CAG’s Report is significant not for what it has said but for what it has not said.

“The CAG allowed itself to become a joke and an honourable government in future will restore the prestige and credibility of the institution,” Chidambaram said   “If you thought those 33 pages will bring to light the hidden aspects of the deal and explain matters relating to numbers, pricing, delivery etcetera and comment on correctness and propriety of transaction, you will be disappointed,” he said.