Face CBI - BJP to PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is apparently in the dock on the coal scam and more so, on the missing coal files, with the BJP on Wednesday sharpening its attack on him, both inside and outside Parliament. Both Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley demanded that the Prime Minister should volunteer himself for CBI questioning in the coal allocation scam, so that the truth comes out.

Leading the attack in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj said, “This is not a case of missing files, but that of files being stolen. We demand that an FIR be lodged immediately. The government must tell us by what time they will lodge an FIR. Otherwise, their intent comes into question." In the Rajya Sabha, her counterpart Arun Jaitley wanted the Prime Minister to volunteer himself for oral evidence. He said: "The only evidence is oral evidence. The person, who took the decisions, has to be examined. But documentary evidence is being destroyed and oral evidence is not being allowed. How does this investigation proceed?"

The BJP referred to a news report that stated that CBI investigating officer K R Chaurasia had documented the "requirement" to question the Prime Minister, but the agency's Director Ranjit Sinha said it was unnecessary at this stage. Both the Leaders of Opposition wanted the Government to “confirm or deny” the fact that investigating officer Chaurasia has required the examination of the Prime Minister on basis of the material before him, so that no further tampering and doctoring of the investigation takes place. “The material on basis of which he requires the examination of the Prime Minister should also be publicly disclosed,” they demanded.

The BJP leaders said that since most of the evidence regarding coal block allocation is in public domain, this should cause no objection to any person. The reasons on basis of which the Prime Minister’s examination is not being permitted should also be revealed.

In the Lok Sabha, as per the understanding between the government and the Opposition, the Speaker allowed the Opposition to make their submissions on the missing coal files. While Sushma Swaraj said that the files were not missing but stolen, CPI MP Gurudas Das Gupta stated that the files were “removed.”

In the coming days, the BJP-led Opposition is expected to further embarrass the Prime Minister on the coalgate missing files as he was the then Coal Minister and is duty-bound to clear all the misconceptions relating to the files. “He is the only person that can clear the suspicion on the missing files,” stated a senior BJP leader, wanting him to appear before the CBI on his own. “After all, it was the Prime Minister, who had stated that the Caesar’s wife should be above board,” when he had offered himself to appear before the PAC on the 2G Spectrum scam.