New Delhi: Both houses of parliament were yesterday disrupted over the missing files on the allocation of coal blocks, with the BJP contending it was an effort to “shield” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while the government said it has set up a probe panel.
“The CBI has asked for 157 documents of companies that had applied prior to June 2004 but have not been allocated coal blocks, apart from some other files and documents,” Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said in a statement in the Rajya Sabha.
“Since some documents could not be located in the Coal Ministry, I have constituted an inter-ministerial committee under the chairmanship of additional secretary (coal) on July 11 to look into the matter,” he said.
“I would like to assure the house that my ministry would leave no stone unturned in tracing and providing the documents sought by the CBI,” he added, amidst sloganeering by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members.
Jaiswal rejected allegations that files related to a family that was close to him were among the missing documents. “If these allegations are proven right, I am ready for any punishment,” he asserted.
His assurance could not pacify the BJP, which said it was an effort “to save the prime minister”, who held the coal portfolio during the period under probe.
During the period under review, a total of 204 coal blocks were allocated to state-run and private companies — 132 by the screening committee and 72 by the coal ministry. Out of that, licences for 40 blocks were cancelled.
The Left too questioned the government on the issue.
IANS
