BJP snubs Manmohan's offer, says coal files are stolen, demands FIR
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's dinner diplomacy late last night failed on Wednesday when the BJP gave a snub by raising the stink over the missing coal files.
The BJP and other opposition parties hauled the government over the coals over the missing files and described the PM's statement on Tuesday as unsatisfactory.
Demanding that the PM should volunteer for an examination, Sushma Swaraj insisted on immediate registration of FIR in missing coal files issue. The BJP leader also alleged that it is a case of theft.
The Prime Minister's last ditch effort to resolve the deadlock over the missing files before he left for the G-20 Summit failed with the main opposition vociferously raising this issue in both Houses.
In order to allow crucial bills to be passed, senior minsters Kamal Nath and P Chidambaram met senior BJP leaders and allowed a submission on the files.
Last night, the BJP told the Prime Minister that tempers are high in the party over the manner in which he had walked out of the House "in a huff" after reading out a statement on the missing files pertaining to the coal block allocations.
BJP agreed to the conduct of Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha today as it gave the party an opportunity to raise other crucial issues like the possible US attack on Syria.
The BJP is likely to cooperate in passage of the Land Acquisition Bill which is slated to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha today. BJP does not wish to be seen as "anti-farmer" by opposing the Bill. But the fate of other Bills is uncertain.
BJP had not given any assurance to the Prime Minister on smooth running of Parliament at a late night meeting on Tuesday in which Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley and Parliamentary Party Chief L.K. Advani took part.
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