New Delhi: With the Opposition toughening its stand against the UPA Government on the coal block allocation issue, the Government made it clear that it was prepared for a threadbare discussion as the whole process was transparent and there was nothing to hide.
The BJP Parliamentary Party met today and decided to remain firm on its demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while Congress accused the BJP of shying away from debate because BJP-ruled states were opposed to auctioning of coal blocks.
Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office V Narayanasamy said the previous NDA Government had made 24 allocations of coal blocks without applications and advertisements. When the UPA made efforts to auction the blocks, the BJP-ruled states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh had objected and even made their objections in writing.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal said,”Since all these facts would come out, the BJP was running away from discussions fearing exposures. The Opposition too has responsibility of running the House and we are at a loss to understand why they were adopting such an attitude”.
Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu briefing newspersons of the Parliamentary Party meeting presided over by L K Advani said the UPA Government had become a burden on the country and it was important that this administration should go. There is no need for discussion since nothing had come out of it in the past, he said.
NDA’s main ally Janata Dal (United) favoured a discussion in Parliament since coal block was not the only issue. “The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) had given two other reports on concessions to Delhi International Airport and allowing Reliance Power to make windfall profits. These issues cry for clarifications and the Government should make it in Parliament,” senior JD(U) leader Shivanand Tiwari said.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley urged the Prime Minister to accept ‘culpability’ in the coal block allocation as he was the Coal Minister at that time when the exchequer suffered and private sector gained.
This is a loss that happened when Dr Singh was the Coal Minister and there is no need for a debate.
He also brushed aside the allegations of the Congress that the BJP-ruled states opposed the auctioning of coal blocks. Coal, he said, was a major mineral and the responsibility of allocation was of the Centre. It only invited suggestions from the states.
As far as the Congress’ offer to discuss the issue in Parliament was concerned, Mr Jaitley said the experience in the past was not at all good. In the 2G episode, the JPC was not allowed to function and hence the Opposition was entitled to tread the path of ‘parliamentary obstructionism’. Normally it is to be avoided but the Congress too had adopted the same course when NDA was in power, he said. UNI (UNI)