Coalgate: Shinde to speak to Opposition leaders to break Parliament impasse

New Delhi, Aug 23 (ANI): Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Thursday said he will speak to all leaders, including the Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, to break the Parliament deadlock over coal block allocations issue.

"We are prepared to discuss the issue in the house. What else do they want? I will certainly speak to the leader of the opposition," Shinde told reporters outside Parliament House.

"The government is already prepared to discuss anything they want. The Prime Minister has already said that. We are prepared to discuss the issues," he added.

The stalemate in Parliament between the Opposition and the government continued for the third consecutive day today. The proceedings in both the Houses were disrupted during the pre-lunch session.

Both the Houses were adjourned till 2 p.m. as the BJP-led opposition stalled the proceedings, demanding Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's resignation over the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) report on coal block allocations.

The BJP has held the Prime Minister, who then held direct charge of the Coal Ministry, responsible for what has been estimated as loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crores by the CAG in coal block allocation and demanded his resignation.

The CAG report on coal block allocation states that nearly 150 coalfields were allotted to private and state-run firms without transparency and objectivity between 2005 and 2009.

The report does not indict the Prime Minister or his office. But the BJP is emphasizing on the fact that for three of the years under scrutiny, the Prime Minister held the coal portfolio. (ANI)