Terming the Coalgate scam as “monumental,” the BJP on Monday once again demanded an explanation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Rajya Sabha and said the missing files pertaining to the scam was a “massive cover up”.
The issue was raised in the zero hour by BJP member Prakash Javadekar leading to sharp exchanges between the treasury and Opposition Benches with Congress claming that the Prime Minister came to the house last week to give a clarification. The house at that point of time was adjourned due to din.
Referring to the PM’s statement two days back in the Upper House that he was not the “custodian of the files,” Javadekar said “he is not only the custodian of files but also the custodian of the nation but not performing both the tasks well”. The BJP leader then went on to say “it is a monumental scam and occurred when the PM was the Coal Minister...PM should give a statement on this” and demanded to know whether an FIR was lodged in the missing files issue despite the Supreme Court asking for it.
He claimed the Committee, formed by Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal to probe the missing files case, included a Joint Secretary level officer who is charged with tampering with the files with the CBI. “This is like handing over the keys of the treasury to the accused,” Javadekar remarked adding, “CBI as well as the Coal Ministry has said before PAC (Public Accounts Committee) that all important files are missing...We demand don’t keep such people who were instrumental in changing the files.”
His party colleague Ravi Shankar Prasad said the discussion on the missing files took place in the house last week but the PM’s clarifications are pending. Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Rajiv Shukla and some Congress members shot back and said the PM was ready to reply but could not do so due to disturbance last week. The BJP members then shouted slogans for some minutes.