New Delhi:
A belligerent opposition today challenged the government to explain the disappearance of important files that explain how coal fields were allocated to private firms, allegedly at throwaway prices that cost the country thousands of crores.
The main opposition party, the BJP, said in Parliament today that the missing documents prove that the government is trying to interfere with the investigation into 'Coal-Gate' to protect the Prime Minister, who held direct charge of the Coal Ministry for some of the years under scrutiny.
"You destroy the evidence and then you say no crime was committed," said Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha. The government assured Parliament that the Coal Minister will make a statement on the controversy. "The government has nothing to hide," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath.
60 files are missing, of which 16 have been sought urgently by the CBI. The documents that cannot be traced reportedly explain the allocation process for 50 coal blocks.
The coal investigation being conducted by the CBI upon the Supreme Court's orders has plunged the government into the latest of a congregation of financial scandals. The last session of Parliament was paralysed with demands for the Prime Minister's resignation. The Supreme Court has repeatedly admonished the government for trying to influence the investigation. In May, the CBI conceded that officials from the Law Ministry and Prime Minister's Office had altered a confidential report on its investigations before it was shared with Supreme Court judges.
The CBI's charges - that mining rights were issued without transparency or basic background checks for private players - add to the perception of a government laden with graft as the Congress gears up to ask voters for a third straight term.
The main opposition party, the BJP, said in Parliament today that the missing documents prove that the government is trying to interfere with the investigation into 'Coal-Gate' to protect the Prime Minister, who held direct charge of the Coal Ministry for some of the years under scrutiny.
"You destroy the evidence and then you say no crime was committed," said Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha. The government assured Parliament that the Coal Minister will make a statement on the controversy. "The government has nothing to hide," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath.
60 files are missing, of which 16 have been sought urgently by the CBI. The documents that cannot be traced reportedly explain the allocation process for 50 coal blocks.
The coal investigation being conducted by the CBI upon the Supreme Court's orders has plunged the government into the latest of a congregation of financial scandals. The last session of Parliament was paralysed with demands for the Prime Minister's resignation. The Supreme Court has repeatedly admonished the government for trying to influence the investigation. In May, the CBI conceded that officials from the Law Ministry and Prime Minister's Office had altered a confidential report on its investigations before it was shared with Supreme Court judges.
The CBI's charges - that mining rights were issued without transparency or basic background checks for private players - add to the perception of a government laden with graft as the Congress gears up to ask voters for a third straight term.
