M A I N   N E W S

Coal fire: BJP slams ‘zero-loss’ theory, Cong changes strategy
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 25
The gloves are off. The BJP today categorically justified its tactics of stalling Parliament till its demand seeking resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the coal block allocation issue is accepted.

“A nationwide debate has begun on this issue though it is not taking place in Parliament. Our strategy does not permit that we allow the government to use Parliament to end this debate without any accountability. We want the debate to go on further’’, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said at a press conference here adding that at times “there are occasions when obstruction in Parliament brings greater benefit to the country’’.

Having been successful in blocking the Government any opportunity in Parliament last week to respond to the CAG reports and defend its decision on allocating coal blocks as against the policy of auction, the BJP today joined issue with the Government.

Charging the Government with misleading the people through the zero-loss theory, the BJP leader said Finance Minister P Chidambaram has not taken any lesson from his colleague Kapil Sibal who had to “eat his words’’ after putting forward the zero-loss argument in the 2G Spectrum allocation issue earlier.

Disputing Government’s argument that there was no loss of revenue since no mining activity had taken place in all but one of the 59 allocated coal blocks, Jaitley said the rights to these mines now rest with the private industries, accusing the Centre of losing control over it at a “throw-away price’’.

With the Congress-led ruling coalition rejecting it and offering a debate, any hope of a resolution of the stand-off looks difficult and Congress parliamentary managers will have to work out the manner in which Prime Minister could reach out to the people when the session resumes on Monday.

The Prime Minister has just over a day next week before he leaves for Iran on Tuesday for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit. The Government has already said that the Prime Minister is ready to intervene in the debate. But if there is no opportunity, he can table a copy of his statement on the issue just as he did after the commotion during the 2008 confidence vote. After it is tabled, the statement becomes part of parliamentary record and a public document with the PM then having the option of reaching out directly to the country.

Deadlock Persists

With the Congress-led ruling coalition offering a debate, any hope of an end to the stand-off looks difficult. Besides, the PM has slightly over a day next week before he leaves for Iran on Tuesday for the NAM Summit

Auction Put on hold

The government has decided to put on hold allocation of mines having minerals other than coal in view of the Mines and Minerals Bill pending before Parliament. The Prime Minister's Office sent a directive in this regard to the Mines Ministry about two months back, sources said on Saturday

Allow PM to make statement: Shourie

Questioning BJP's stand, former Telecom Minister Arun Shourie on Saturday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should be allowed to make a statement on coal blocks allocation controversy and said the opposition did not gain much by stalling Parliament over the issue.

"A nationwide debate has begun on this issue though it is not taking place in Parliament. We can’t allow the government to use Parliament to end this debate without any accountability."

— Arun Jaitley, Leader of the Oppn in RS