Govt allegedly vetted coal report: who said what

New Delhi: The government is under attack from the opposition over allegations that the Law Minister and senior officials in the Prime Minister's Office may have reviewed and altered a report submitted by the CBI to the Supreme Court on how coal fields were allocated to private firms between 2006 and 2009.

Here are some reactions on the story:

Sushma Swaraj, BJP (on Twitter)
This is a very serious matter. This is evidence of the government's pressure on the CBI to save the prime minister.

Arun Jaitley, BJP
There report indicates that the status report which the CBI has to place before the Supreme Court with regard to the coal scam had first been approved, altered, changed and diluted with political interference which has come from the Law Minister and PM. This is now conclusive that the farce of being autonomous which CBI had maintained has been demolished. CBI can't go to the root of the mater, can't find out the truth. Even if CBI wants, UPA, a rogue government won't allow it to do that...These facts conclusively show that CBI won't be honestly allowed to probe the case. A Special investigation team should probe the matter.

Ranjit Sinha, CBI Director
Cannot comment on this report

Rashid Alvi, Congress
The matter is in the Supreme Court. How can we interfere in it? The BJP has a habit of misguiding the nation. There will be clarity on the matter when the CBI will place its affidavit before the court. The CBI works independently. They are not under pressure.

Shivanand Tiwari, JD(U)
It is a serious matter. It was also said that report on coal scam to the top court was toned down. This is like a contempt of court. The court is asking the CBI director to submit a report. And before that the government calls CBI officer and directs him to the kind of report that should be submitted. It is a serious issue. The Supreme Court will look into it seriously and will expect an answer from the government and its ministers.