Coalgate storm hits Parliament for third consecutive day

New Delhi, Aug 23 (ANI): Both Houses of the Parliament were adjourned minutes within the proceedings began on Thursday with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led opposition sticking to their demand for Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's resignation over the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) report on coal block allocations.

Both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha have been adjourned till 12 noon.

The UPA Government, however, rejected the opposition demand for Prime Minister's resignation, saying it is ready for discussion in Parliament on CAG report on coal block allocation.

Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office V. Narayanasamy had earlier said the government is ready to discuss the CAG report on coal block allocations and accused the BJP for disrupting the Parliamentary proceedings over the issue.

"Senior opposition leader raised the issue of coal block allocation in the Parliament. Tomorrow (on Thursday), the honourable Prime Minister along with all the leaders of our party are ready to discuss the issue, but BJP is not ready to discuss the issue as they always disrupt the Parliament. This is not good," said Narayanasamy.

"24 coal blocks were allocated by the BJP under its rule without any application, advertisement, when honourable Vajpayee (former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee) was the Prime Minister, but when we came to power, we properly allocated the coal blocks with proper advertisement and application," he added.

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)