MP Saket Gokhale criticises Modi government over lack of transparency in PM-CARES fund
New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale has accused the Modi government of a lack of transparency in the management of the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) Fund. Gokhale, in a post on X, highlighted that no financial data on the fund has been disclosed since March 31, 2022, sparking concerns about its administration and usage.
Gokhale noted that while the PM CARES Fund was initially presented as a charitable trust set up to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, it has not provided any updates on contributions or expenditures for the past two years. He further questioned how a fund declared as a “private trust” by the government could use national symbols like the National Emblem and a government domain address, stating, “The fact that PM-CARES stopped providing its audited financial reports since over 2 years clearly shows that there is something HUGELY fishy.”
He also drew parallels between the lack of transparency in the PM CARES Fund and the alleged misuse of the electoral bonds scheme. According to Gokhale, the fund might serve as a platform for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to extort companies and collect anonymous contributions, following the controversy over electoral bonds that were criticized for enabling anonymous political donations.
Gokhale’s statement aligns with the concerns raised by Congress leaders over the fund’s opaque nature in the past. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh had in March this year, alleged that the PM CARES Fund was deliberately structured to allow the Prime Minister access to an unsupervised pool of resources. Ramesh pointed out that despite receiving contributions from public sector undertakings (PSUs), foreign companies, and prominent Indian firms, the fund remains outside the purview of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
“The PM CARES Fund is exempt from any scrutiny, and the total amount received and the names of donors have never been officially disclosed. Media reports suggest that it received donations worth Rs 12,700 crore, with significant contributions from companies like Reliance and Adani Group,” Ramesh stated.
Echoing these sentiments, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi in April this year, questioned why the fund, despite receiving 60% of its donations from PSUs, is not subject to public audits. Singhvi argued that a public fund with over Rs 5,000 crore in contributions should be accountable to the public.
Further complicating the situation, a report by Business Standard in April 2023 revealed that at least 57 public sector companies contributed Rs 2,913.6 crore to the fund between 2019 and 2022, raising questions about the government’s claim that the fund does not receive any government money. The report also noted that amendments made in September 2022 limited the amount of information companies must disclose regarding their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending, making it difficult to trace where their contributions went.
The PM CARES Fund’s exemption under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) also allowed it to receive Rs 535.44 crore as foreign donations over the past three years, including contributions from Chinese companies. This has raised further concerns, especially given the ongoing tensions between India and China.
Over the years questions have also been raised about why the fund has not utilized its resources fully and why it continues to operate under ambiguous guidelines.
Important:
— Saket Gokhale MP (@SaketGokhale) October 4, 2024
Update on Modi's PM-CARES SCAM:
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Modi launched his new scam called PM-CARES Fund. This was meant to be a "charitable trust" which took contributions of thousands of crores from people as well as Indian & foreign companies.
After an… pic.twitter.com/PzYMKWgclH
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Delhi: Boy stabbed to death over 'controversial' social media comments, 2 juveniles held
New Delhi (PTI): A 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death at Ramleela ground in northwest Delhi for allegedly making social media comments that police described as "controversial", an official said on Wednesday.
According to the police, the assailants, also minors, attacked him with a knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds.
"A PCR call was received in the Shalimar Bagh Police Station regarding an injured boy lying in Ramleela ground. The police team reached the spot and found him with multiple stab wounds," a police officer said.
He was working as a labourer in a banquet hall for the last two days, the officer said. An FIR was registered and the police apprehended two juveniles in the case.
Preliminary investigation reveals that the deceased was stabbed due to an ongoing enmity, the officer said.
During questioning, the accused told the police that the victim had made "controversial comments" against them on social media. Following which, they intercepted him at Ramleela ground and stabbed him. He died on the spot, officer said.
"We have recovered a dagger and the victim's mobile phone. Further investigation in the case is underway," he added.
