Removal of Opposition from PAC Chair: YSRCP Calls It an Attack on Democracy

Nov 22, 2024, 18:08 IST

Depriving PAC post is the dark day of democracy

YSRCP Calls Deprivation of PAC Chair to Opposition a Blow to Parliamentary Integrity

YSRCP Alleges Ruling Government's Intent to Mismanage Funds by Gagging the Opposition

Tadiparthi Chandrasekhar Criticizes Government for Undermining PAC’s Role as Public Finance Watchdog

Tadepalli, Nov 22:

Describing it as a dark day for parliamentary democracy, YSRCP spokesperson and MLA Tadiparthi Chandrasekhar slammed the coalition government for removing the opposition party from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman position, with the singular intention of preventing anyone from questioning its irregularities in managing state finances.

Speaking to the media on Friday, he said it has been a longstanding convention and practice in parliamentary democracy to appoint a member from the opposition as the PAC chairman. However, the coalition government has done away with this tradition, making a mockery of the institution.

Although nominations were called for, and our leader Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy was in the fray, the ruling government played foul and deprived the opposition of its rightful position. Parliamentary history shows that the PAC Chairman post has traditionally been given to the opposition, regardless of the party in power, whether it was Congress, BJP, TDP, or any other party.

Even with just two members, the BJP held the PAC Chairman post in Parliament, and stalwarts like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, PV Narasimha Rao, Jyotirmayi Basu, Murali Manohar Joshi, and others have held the position and uncovered various scandals such as Bofors, 2G Spectrum, and the Commonwealth Games.

The government’s intention seems very clear—they do not want to face questions about state finances and wish to mismanage funds, as already seen in the budget allocations.

YSRCP, with eleven seats, is the only opposition left in the Assembly, and to deprive it of the PAC post is nothing short of an attack on the institution, which is meant to act as a watchdog over public finances and ensure transparency in how the ruling party spends taxpayer money.

This move is merely a continuation of their policy of corrupt practices, enabling them to act without accountability and silencing the opposition's voice, he said.

He also expressed concern over the detention of Dalit leader and former MP Nandigama Suresh and the harassment faced by social media activists.