Facing criticism from various Congress leaders for remarks made in his new book, former CAG Vinod Rai today said the approach should be to address the malice, and not to "shoot the messenger".
"Why shoot the messenger and why not address the malice?" Rai observed while officially releasing the book that has already sparked a political storm with a sharp criticism of various issues faced by him during his tenure as Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India from 2008-2013.
Among other issues, 'The Diary of the Nation's Conscience Keeper - Not Just an Accountant' touches upon controversial matters such as irregularities in 2G spectrum and coal block allocations, as well as the role of the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during that time.
Releasing the book to a packed hall here this evening, Rai emphasised that the book "is not about wanting to button hole anybody... And also not about fixing responsibility on anybody".
Recalling that he wrote the book with great "trepidation" in his heart and mind, Rai said he thought there was probably a good story to tell.
However, "after seeing the canard" in the last few days, he felt very happy and very contended about his decision to write this book, Rai said while replying to his critics.
