File photo of Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal
New Delhi:
Reacting to former coal secretary PC Parakh's allegations on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the coal scam, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal today said Mr Parakh is a 'Sheikh Chilli,' or daydreamer.
"Sheikh chilliyon ke dwara diye gaye kisi bayan par koi comment hum nahi karna chahte (I do not want to comment on statements given by daydreamers)," he told reporters.
The CBI has named Mr Parakh for alleged irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks in 2005 to Hindalco, a firm owned by industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla.
Mr Parakh has said that as Coal Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh took the final decision on the allotments.
The CBI has named Mr Parakh and Mr Birla in its FIR. Both Mr Birla and Mr Parakh have denied the charges.
Defending the Prime Minister, Mr Jaiswal said today that he fully agreed with the statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office on October 19 that the allocation was made following due process of law and the merits of the case.
"I cent per cent agree with the statement issued by the PMO," he said.
The minister, however, refused to comment on the CBI filing the FIR in which Mr Birla was named, saying the inquiry was "being monitored by the Supreme Court."
"Sheikh chilliyon ke dwara diye gaye kisi bayan par koi comment hum nahi karna chahte (I do not want to comment on statements given by daydreamers)," he told reporters.
The CBI has named Mr Parakh for alleged irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks in 2005 to Hindalco, a firm owned by industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla.
Mr Parakh has said that as Coal Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh took the final decision on the allotments.
The CBI has named Mr Parakh and Mr Birla in its FIR. Both Mr Birla and Mr Parakh have denied the charges.
Defending the Prime Minister, Mr Jaiswal said today that he fully agreed with the statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office on October 19 that the allocation was made following due process of law and the merits of the case.
"I cent per cent agree with the statement issued by the PMO," he said.
The minister, however, refused to comment on the CBI filing the FIR in which Mr Birla was named, saying the inquiry was "being monitored by the Supreme Court."
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
