PM targets CAG: ‘Our case strong, credible’

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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, rejecting the CAG’s claims in its coal block allocation report as 'misleading' and 'flawed', on Monday took the BJP head-on and accused it of thwarting his government’s efforts to bring in a policy of competitive bidding.

Amid a din in both Houses of Parliament, he also dared the saffron brigade to debate the issue on the floor of both Houses.

Speaking both inside and outside Parliament, Dr Singh said he was not running away from taking 'full responsibility' for decisions taken by the coal ministry when he had held the portfolio himself. He, however, declared that the allegation of impropriety 'is without any basis and is unsupported by facts'.

As the uproar by the BJP on the floor of the two Houses continued for the fifth day in a row, the Prime Minister read out his statement amid the din. After reading a few paragraphs, he laid the statement on the table.

Daring the BJP to hold a debate in the House to let the country judge the truth, he declared: “We have a very strong and credible case as the CAG’s observations are clearly disputable.”

As BJP continued to create a ruckus, both Houses saw repeated adjournments, and no legislative businesses could be transacted.

Dr Singh said while CAG reports are usually discussed in the Public Accounts Committee, he was departing from established procedure due to 'the nature of allegations that are being made, and because I was holding the charge of coal minister for a part of the time covered by the report;.

Responding point-by-point to observations by the CAG, which pegged the loss at Rs 1.86 lakh crores, Dr Singh said even if the CAG’s claim about benefits accruing to private companies was accepted, 'their computations can be questioned on a number of technical points'.

Earlier, talking to reporters outside Parliament soon after arriving there, Dr Singh tried to silence the
Opposition’s attack over 'his silence' with an Urdu couplet.

“Hazaron jawabon se achchi hai khamoshi meri, na jaane kitne sawalo ki aabru rakhe (My silence is better than a thousand answers, it keeps intact the honour of innumerable questions),” he said.

'Allocation policy existed since 1993'

The Prime Minister sought to corner the Opposition saying the policy of allocating coal blocks without competitive bidding existed since 1993 and previous governments also allocated 'precisely in the manner that the CAG has criticised'.

Dr Singh said major coal and lignite bearing states like West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Rajasthan 'ruled by Opposition parties' were 'strongly opposed' to a switch over to competitive bidding process.

On the charge of delay in bringing the Coal Mines Nationalisation (Amend-ment) Bill, 2000, to facilitate commercial mining by private companies, Dr Singh said it was pending in Parliament for a long time owing to 'stiff opposition from the stakeholders' and government wanted broader consultations and consensus.

Citing instances, Dr Singh said the then BJP chief minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje had written to him in April 2005 opposing competitive bidding and arguing that it was against the spirit of the Sarkaria Commission recommendations.

He named another BJP chief minister Raman Singh (Chhattisgarh) saying he had written to him in June 2005 seeking continuation of the extant policy of coal block allocation.

“The state governments of West Bengal (Left) and Orissa (BJD-led) also wrote formally opposing a change to the system of competitive bidding,” Dr Singh said.

BJP for probe, says ready for ‘lone fight’

Meanwhile, accusing the Congress for 'filling its own coffer', Bharatiya Janata Party summarily rejected the Prime Minister’s contentions and demanded cancellation of coal block allocations and institution of an impartial probe.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj alleged that the government delayed the implementation of competitive bidding so that the profit could 'reach the ruling Congress’s coffers'.

Remaining firm on its demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation over CAG report on coal block allocation issue, the main Opposition BJP also demanded cancellation and an 'impartial probe' into the allocation of coal blocks since 2006.

Alleging that the Congress made mota maal (big money) from the coal blocks allocation, the party insisted that not only its NDA allies but some Opposition parties, including AIADMK, are supporting its demand. It also said that even if the BJP has to fight the 'battle alone it would be a majestic isolation' as the popular opinion is with the party.

BJP alleged that though Dr Singh began his statement by saying he takes full responsibility for the coal block allocations, 'step-by-step' he transferred this responsibility on others, including parliamentary democracy and the law ministry.

“Congress has got a mota maal from coal block allocation, that is why this delay (in amending the laws) was caused. My charge is that huge revenue was generated but it did not go to the government and went to the Congress party,” Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said.