Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj targets government on coal scam
In a sharp attack on the Prime Minister in Parliament, the BJP today said Dr Manmohan Singh should volunteer himself for CBI questioning in the coal allocation scam.
The main opposition party referred to a news report that said that a CBI investigating officer, KR Chaurasia, had documented the "requirement" to question the Prime Minister, but the agency's Director, Ranjit Sinha, said it was unnecessary at this stage
Sources in Dr Singh's office said this morning that while they cannot comment on the accuracy of the report, the PM has assured Parliament that the government will "fully cooperate with the CBI" and is committed to a fair and thorough probe.
"The PM should volunteer himself for CBI questioning so that the truth comes out," said Sushma Swaraj, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, speaking as part of a compromise between the BJP and the government on ending the paralysis in Parliament over missing files related to the coal scam.
On the missing files Ms Swaraj said, "This is not a case of missing files but that of files being stolen. We demand that an FIR be lodged immediately. The government must tell us by what time they will lodge an FIR. Otherwise, their intent comes into question."
In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said: "The only evidence is oral evidence. The person who took the decisions has to be examined. But documentary evidence is being destroyed and oral evidence is not being allowed. How does this investigation proceed?"
In Parliament yesterday, Dr Singh, who had earlier defiantly said that he is "not the custodian of files", said in a statement, "at this stage, it would be premature to say that files are missing or that there is something fishy."
CPI-M member Sitaram Yechury slammed the statement. "How is it premature to say the files are missing? Either something is there or it is not there. Not everything in this world is 'maya' (an illusion)."