Opposition stalls Houses over coal ‘scam’

Both Houses of Parliament Lok Sabha had to be adjourned till noon today as the Bharatiya Janata Party, along with other opposition parties, stalled the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha over the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's report on the allocation of coal blocks.

The government said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was ready to make a statement on the CAG report in the House, and the government was prepared for discussions. But the opposition preferred to create a din, which was continuing after the Houses reconvened till the time of writing.

The government ruled out Prime Minister Singh's resignation over the issue, with Congress leader Ambika Soni saying the BJP should look at its own role in the allocation of coal blocks when the NDA was in power.
 
As Parliament convened this morning, BJP MPs raised slogans and trooped to the well demanding Singh's resignation over the CAG report on coal blocks. As slogan-shouting and counter-shouting from the treasury benches continued, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 12 noon.

Top BJP leaders held a meeting at senior leader LK Advani's residence late Monday evening to finalise their strategy in Parliament on the alleged coal blocks scam. The BJP had made it clear yesterday that it would stall both Houses of Parliament on the issue.

Sources said the BJP will aggressively pursue the resignation of Singh, who held the coal portfolio at the time of allocation of the coal blocks.

The Communist Party of India was more restrained in its demand. Its leader Gurudas Dasgupta said Prime Minister Singh has a moral responsibility, but "On the issue of resignation, we leave it to his conscience."

The BJP also attacked the Prime Minister's Office for allegedly keeping in abeyance the policy of bidding in coal block allocation in a "bid to favour" certain people.

BJP has held the Prime Minister "morally, politically and personally" responsible for the Rs1.86-lakh crore loss estimated by CAG in coal block allocation.