Coal fire blazes in both Houses

The BJP demanded a response from the Prime Minister on the missing coal blocks allotment files.

The BJP demanded a response from the Prime Minister on the missing coal blocks allotment files on Tuesday,with Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley alleging that files dont disappear,but they are made to disappear.

Jaitley said Coal Minister Shriprakash Jaiswal had a conflict of interest in the matter. Jaiswal refuted the BJPs allegations,and said he would be ready to face punishment if any of them were proved correct. He admitted that files had indeed gone missing,but promised that no effort would be spared to trace them.

I would like to assure the House that my ministry would leave no stone unturned in tracing and providing the documents sought by the CBI, he said. After Jaitley asked if an FIR had been registered,the minister said that since the files had not been stolen and only gone missing,a committee had been formed to look into the issue.

BJP members began demanding a statement from the PM from the morning,leading to several adjournments in both Houses. Jaiswal,who came to Rajya Sabha after the first adjournment,failed to complete his statement in the din. Deputy Leader of Opposition Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that some of the missing files contained details about companies linked to Congress leaders. We want it (the statement) from the Prime Minister. Serious questions are being raised about the (coal) minister, Prasad said.

In Lok Sabha,amid cries of shame,shame and pradhan mantri jawab do,Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj raised the issue. She asked the PM to assure members that the CBIs probe would not be hampered due to the missing files. She said that as the PM had recently taken full responsibility in the Lok Sabha,it was incumbent upon him to take the House into confidence on the fate of the missing files.

Telangana and onion prices too rocked Lok Sabha.