NEW DELHI: A deadline for September 15 has been set by the government for initiating action on de-allocation of coal mines to many of the 58 allottees to whom show-cause notices have been issued.
Pushed by an upset Prime Minister’s Office, coal ministry has got into action to expedite the process of de-allocating the blocks ahead of the inter-ministerial group meeting scheduled for Monday to consider the issue. According to sources, the coal ministry decided to complete by September 15 the entire exercise in all cases where showcause notices were issued.
Sonia calls up Sushma over Parliament logjam: Meanwhile, keen to break the logjam in Parliament over the CAG report, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has reached out to Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj but the BJP appeared unrelenting on its stand.
Taking the initiative, Gandhi talked to the senior BJP leader coinciding with her hectic consultations with the party top brass including Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, sources said.
BJP, however, said there is no change in their stand of seeking the Prime Minister’s resignation on the issue. “There will be no let up. We will further intensify our fight inside and outside Parliament,” BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.
Asked if BJP would allow passage of some crucial bills, he said, “This is not a question of bills but of the nation. Our fight will continue.”
Congress sources said Gandhi’s reaching out to Swaraj is a further vindication that the party is always prepared to consult all stakeholders on any issue in keeping with the best traditions of Parliamentary democracy, where a way should be found out through dialogue and debate. (PTI)
