The Congress and the Government on Wednesday dismissed BJP’s demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation in the Coalgate and ridiculed the Opposition party as a “self-firing automatic weapon” which is “full of blanks”.
I&B Minister Manish Tewari said it was inappropriate for the BJP to comment in that manner when the matter was sub judice and being monitored by the Supreme Court.
Former Coal Secretary PC Parakh, who has been booked by CBI in the coal scam, has said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the final decision maker must be counted as a “conspirator”, prompting BJP to demand a thorough probe.
“Our attention has been drawn to some reports which have appeared in the sections of Press today. Most respectfully, I would like to submit that the entire matter is under investigation and the investigation that is being monitored by the Supreme Court of India directly. So, therefore, in a sub judice matter where investigations are in progress it is inappropriate for people to be commenting in a manner in which they’ve done,” said Tewari.
The Minister said that if some people did have anything to say, they will have their say at the appropriate forum, at the appropriate time. The Government has provided all documents to the investigators and, therefore, this “unnecessary speculation” is something which needs to be avoided, he added.
Attacking the Opposition, Tewari said they (BJP) are a self-propelled and self-firing automatic weapon which is unfortunately full of blanks. “To expect anything else from BJP except irresponsibility would be expecting the Sun to rise from the west rather than the east. So, therefore, I don’t think it is important as to what the BJP has to say, because they have been saying this for the last 10 years. But responsibility and propriety demand that in an investigation which is being monitored by the apex court, people need to be restrained in their utterances,” he said.
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh attempted to downplay the controversy saying the retired IAS officer should say whatever he wants before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). “As far as Mr. Parakhs’s statement is concerned, he is a free man. He is free to make any statement, but instead of making statements he should say whatever he says in front of CBI,” Singh said.
“The BJP should not forget the fact that the policy under which the allocation of coal blocks took place under the UPA, the same was done under the NDA. So, they should not act in haste, may be a finger of suspicion points towards them,” Singh added hitting back at BJP for its criticism of the Prime Minister.