The BJP on Saturday took serious exception to the comments made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the media on his way back from the NAM Summit that he would not get into a slanging match with the Opposition on the coal blocks allocation issue.
Responding to Dr. Singh’s comments, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “If the people have given you the mandate to govern they have also made the Opposition the custodian of their interest and we shall continue to safeguard that whether you call it ‘tu-tu main main’ or seek solace in your silence by reciting a Urdu couplet.”
The BJP has been insistent on its demand for the resignation of Dr. Singh (who was in-charge of the Coal Ministry when the allotments were made) and cancellation of the allotment of 142 coal blocks made from 2006.
The admission by Union Tourism Minister that he had written to the Prime Minister seeking his “intervention” for allotment of two coal blocks to a company, in which his brother is an honorary executive director has given the BJP additional leverage.
At a news conference on Friday, Mr. Sahai confirmed that he wrote to the Prime Minister on February 4, 2008 on behalf of the company and the PMO forwarded it to the Coal Ministry on February 6 for appropriate action.
The Minister further confirmed that on February 7, 2008, his brother participated in the meeting of the Screening Committee on Coal Block Allotments. He refused to answer despite repeated questions whether he had informed the Prime Minister that his brother was associated with the company he was commending for allocation.
At his news conference, Mr. Sahai insisted that there was no impropriety on his part and there was no question of his resignation.
Meanwhile, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi, announcing the departure of Congress president Sonia Gandhi abroad for a ‘routine medical check-up,’ said she was expected to return in a week after a routine medical check-up. Last year Ms. Gandhi had surgery for an undisclosed ailment.
Keywords: coal blocks allocation issue, Paliament disruption, BJP strategy, Manmohan comments, BJP reaction
It is not the question that PM is directly involved or not. He should also be held responsible and accountable for the scandal involved by any of his ministers in his cabinet. In this issue it seems the allotments were actually made when he was holding the portfolio of coal.
Chennai.
This routine medical check-up is really creating more suspicion while
country is in crisis. Is there any external power which needs to be
consulted while the country is in crisis? Evidence shows that when the
country is in serious crisis, there is due for a routine medical check-
up. It has been for long a practice in Pakistan and many other South
Asian countries, now the same thing is happening in India.
DR RKRAO,
Why do you think about silencing BJP, proving and stopping corruption is not something to be done for the sake of silencing BJP.
It has to be done, because the money looted in the scams could have benefitted a lot of poor and needy indians, lot many infrastructure projects could be done with this money to benefit the tax paying middle class, its the need of the nation.
Regarding Manmohan singh (actually Dhanmohan singh) being clean , he has presided over a government that has been involved in scam after scam, the next scam being bigger than the first one. Some of them have been proven by SC.
Manmohan singh is as clean as Dhritarashtra in Mahabharat, he is the first one to shout i didn't disrobe Draupadi (i didnt benefit from scams), I didnt reject the peace proposal of ShriKrishna (I didnt plan with Hamid Ansari to have the sham rajyasabha session to drag till midnight and hence postpone the Lokpall bill amendments).
God bless you if you still consider him cleanest.
The word oversight has two meanings: 1. An unintentional failure to notice or do something. and 2. The action of overseeing something. In Dr Manmohan Singh's case the second meaning is the right one. He has been overseeing CORRUPTION.
We are in a bizarre situation, wherein Prime minister speaks from the sky, that he is
not willing to take part in a slanging match, and the BJP stands on dubious
credentials, inviting for a match.
How can there be a match between two players one in the Air and another on shaky
ground?
Manmohan Singh should be held accountable for corruption. He is the Prime Minister
of the country, entrusted to ensure clean governance, and failure by oversight is
unpardonable.
Manmohan Singh is trusted as one of the cleanest politicians in the world. He is in a
unique position to stand tall and bring in the JANLOKPAL BILL. Only this would
silence the BJP and all those who are accusing Manmohan Singh of corruption.
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