Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Saturday launched a counter-offensive on the BJP on Coalgate, saying the party should ask its Chief Ministers in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh to quit as “they had executed the lease of coal blocks” under the MMDR Act, 1957.
The Centre had no role to play in the execution of coal block leases, he told journalists here.
Rejecting the BJP’s demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation, Mr. Sibal said Dr. Singh could not make any coal block allotment.
Driving home his point, Mr. Sibal quoted from the April 11, 2005 letter written by the former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje of the BJP that said, “Under Section 5 (1) of the MMDR Act, 1957, the lease itself is granted by the State Government … and the proposed change would take away the State’s prerogative in selection of the lessee.”
On allocation of a coal block to Jindal Steel and Power Limited, he said the recommendation was made by Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Mr. Sibal said that since 1993 as many as 212 coal blocks had been allocated and the Central Bureau of Investigation was probing irregularities in the allotment of five or six of them. “Does it mean the allotment of all 212 blocks should be cancelled?”
Mr. Sibal questioned the calculation financial of loss, incurred in coal blocks allocation, in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General. He said the allocation was made only for power, steel and cement industries and was meant only for captive consumption. Electricity generated by the power plants was supplied to the State electricity boards and the tariff was controlled and regulated by the regulatory commissions. “Profit, if any, is on account of the power tariff, and not on coal.”
According to the Hon.Minister the initial investment by a coal mining entity in buying the right
to mine coal from the depost owned by the government, has no bearing on the profitability of
its business of mining coal and selling it or its captive use by it in another industry it has. It is
surprising to hear this from a learned lawyer like Mr. Sibal. Desperation is writ large on the
Minister's statement. The government is well and truly in trouble.
The recent information clearly indicate the reason for going for
probe before blaming PM. BJP must be knowing probe will bring the
truth. Probably they are aware the involvement of BJP leaders will
get exposed and therefore they are against in depth investigation.
In being Sonia's loyal soldier, Sibal is talking like a toddler on his
Grandpa's knee
Hello Mr Sibal, Forget about BJP, I am a citizen of India and from the CAG report and CBI investigations, it is true that criminal conspiracy and fraud took place coal blocks allocation. Before, law throws Coal Ministry officals in Jail it is appropriate that PM steps down else you and your Govt will land in Jail else public will arrest UPA though Lokpal.
You did bad, so we can do worse!!
Great defence. You were voted to power because BJP was bad but you are
worse.
It is argued by Congress party that the decision on this issue was a collective one of a broad-based screening committee.
So, the mistake is that of the committee . In that case, take action against all individuals (or the committee members whoever supported this wrongful decision)or let all of them resign from their posts.PM also being one of the members of the committe, he should take the initiative and resign on moral grounds, being the head of a nation.
Instead of that the Congress party throws the blame on a committee or on the BJP chief ministers . If the state CMs and committees are the ultimate decision makers , why should there be a prime minister, ministers and a central Govt ?
Instead of finding out the real culprits and retrieving the lost moneys from them,throwing the blame on others and clinging on to their chairs without a shame indicates the power lust of the Congress party.
I knew it. He will come again.
Now Kapil Sibal has a distinction of being the mouth of the PM. Soon, he will have
additional charge of coal ministry also.
My request to him is to focus on the 2G spectrum first.
BJP chief minister Yeddiurappa did in fact resign on charges of a much lesser charge of wrong doing. The so-called PM Manmohan Singh, a hand-picked spineless bureaucrat, has presided over a huge corruption scandal of international denunciation. He has brought shame on India. Mr. Kapil Sibal is one notable figure of that corrupt machine UPA.
Mr Sibal should come clean on who did what with Coal allocations, and publish a
white paper.
We have a right to know how much money India lost in these irregularities.
Transparency is a need of the hour. Irregularities prevail in a smoky environment,
and irrational thoughts would sprout.
India as a nation should learn from western advanced democracies, and set up an
independent anti-corruption ombudsman.
There should be an all party conference on nation building, and an agreement should
be reached about red lines that shouldn't be crossed for the success of our
democracy.
Most important first step is restoration of credibility and faith in the supremacy of
parliament as an institution.
Parliament time should be used for constructive discussions and useful decisions.
It is unfortunate that all the political parties in India have become experts in
diverting people from real issues, and rousing emotions when it suits them.
Sibal was instrumental in destroying Jan Lokpal bill
Perhaps someone should tell the minister that we are aware of his
antics, remarks and illogical defense arguments for his corrupt
colleagues. We do not want these anymore. He should save time making
the telecom policy in the mandated time frame or SC is not being kind to
expedient politicians these days.
Both Congress and BJP are crooks. Both should resign and start fresh elections.
Why the Ministry of HRD making any statement, absolutely anyone involved
in scams MUST NOT BE SPARED. But, we expect the concerned people and the
ministry to speak out against the stand taken by the opposition. Saying
that the center has no control over the allocation is not justified and
India by majority is a Union not a Federal.
Earlier you denied any loss and blamed the machinery of CAG but now you
are pointing it to the states ruled by NON-CONGRESS party. The inability
of the central government to assure proper functioning of state is in
itself a failure.
BJP, who failed to maintain the situation of what happened in Karnataka
need to look over their part too in states ruled by them. They too have
lot of questions to answer the public which has failed to provide an
acceptable option/alternative to the nation.
Anyone who watches news and understands, knows who really needs to resign, Centre kept all the rights gave blocks either to people who owned the companies, if gave to someone else, they soon became MPs from congress.
Salman Khurshid once said" Hamaam me sab nange hai",
today the reality is "Koele mei saari congress kaali hai".
If congress is so clean why not step down and give orders from enquiry as in 2G scam?
Sibal Je,Blaming others will not wipe those ignominies ...!!!
If non-congress states were clamouring the objection to biding and congress rule states were in favor of the bid so please Mr. Kabul Sibalji tell us how many states are ruled by non-Congress government and ruled by congress. It is clearly seen that the center avoid the majority of states which ruled by UPA and here something must consider that when NTPCs were shouting for coal shortage why center decided to import the coal at high price then why they didn't order the coal company to execute the mining, why they delayed it.It should prove by SC sitting judge, not CBI because now a days It's credible is not sure which recently people of India has seen.
Kapil is bad lawyer who lost his case in 2G. Now again Sibal is trying to defend the indefensible and will lose this also if an independent enquiry or investigation is done into Coalgate. PM as a silent spectator allowed allocations based on recommendation letters from Congress members to companies who have neither power plants nor steel plants on record. Just like Permit-licences were being sold before PVNarasimharao's economic reforms, now the allocations are being, or have been resold at higher price by the allottees. Kapil, pl stop defending political criminals eventhough you had defended real criminals in your earlier avathar of SC lawyer.
It is simple sir,very simple.Kapilji has declared that the respective
state CMs should resign.The coalgate has to be closed.
Let us wait for the next scam.Ever reliable kapil will have answer for
it too.With Kapil by your side,you can go ahead for greater ventures.
As Mr. Sibal says if under Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development Act) only the
state governments have the right to execute lease, why did the Congress ministers and other
leaders in parliament talk about BJP Chief Ministers writing to the Central Government
asking the latter to allocate coal blocks to certain parties and the Central Governmebt
accepting their reccomrndations? Mr.Sibal apparently thinks that the people of this country
will gulp down anything that he says. They wouldn't and that is for sure. The UPA
government is well and truly in trouble and it cannot escape from it by confusing the people.
As you sow, so you reap and therefore the government cannot escape from the
"Coalgate"',Mr.Sibal.
BJP and Congress should keep asking only as both are tainted. And janata
keep electing any of the two disgraceful options available. Say, I was
wondering if I can see the Team Anna option this time in 2014.
Sibal should first of all try to get resignation from p.m. and than put
in jail to Digambar Kamat on the basis of cag and Justice m.b. Shah
panel report.this UPA part two is a most corrupt government after
independence.
He's getting old.
Speaks rubbish,
Instead of playing a blame-game, both congress and the opposition, BJP, must get their act together and work to recoup the losses caused due to this scam. Instead each of them is accusing the other while no definitive action is being taken to right this wrong.
Nation has lost an opportunity to know what actually Coalgate is and
how CAG concluded that exchequer suffered huge loss leading to the
gain of private parties.Also the role of state Govt with mines located
geographiclly in their states and union Govt has a very limited role
except that the what is below earth and to be mined is national
asset.Normally CAG reports are statutory in their nature and bring out
deficiencies in the working of various systems and point out if any
lack of checks and balances would be grievous to lead to cause losses
and damages to the Govt,be it union or local govt.These are
interesting aspects which the people would like to know and
understand.instead we are faced with the mud slinging and allegations
that are politcally motivated ones.Now this deadlock/logjam need to
have a common approach and an agreeable outlook that helps people and
nation.It should not be an item to fight and shout on streets.
Sibal, the hair-splitter of the Law, is at his best. Who took the decisions, Sir?
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