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PM defence rests on States’ ‘no’ to auction
The six-point argument ferreted out by his Cabinet colleagues will also be the basis for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s defence in the Coalgate controversy.
In a bid to turn the tables on the BJP, the PM would highlight that Opposition-ruled Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand Governments had in 2005 opposed the Centre’s move to bring a legislation to ensure the auction process which in turn led to delay in the competitive allocation process. He will also point out that lawmaking is a lengthy process and consensus need to be created through consultation with various stakeholders.
Singh would also defend the allotments as those having been done in a transparent manner with no favours to any company. Singh would also object to CAG questioning the policy decision of the Government, according
to sources.
His defence would also include pointing out “inaccuracies” in the CAG report and the “misleading” presumptive loss of `1.85 lakh crore.
These are the grounds on which various Ministers are already defending the Government, but being directly targeted by the opposition the Prime Minister wants to clarify his position at the earliest. However, since the BJP is not ready to climb down from its demand for PM’s resignation, the Government has adopted a wait and watch policy while presenting its defence at various levels.
The Congress feels that with time the Opposition will become milder and cracks will develop in its unity. It felt, the indication of this could already be seen with the Janata Dal-United and Left parties saying that they want a debate on coal scam in Parliament giving much relief to the Government. Also the Government feels that by putting its defence through media, it could expose the BJP’s “double-speak” as some of its own Governments had opposed auction of coal blocks in the past.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal charged that the BJP is running away from the debate as it feels that by attacking PM it could get political mileage. Ambika Soni questioned the rationale behind the demand saying that if the PM resigns with whom the Opposition will discuss the issue.
Though all efforts are being made to persuade the Opposition, unfortunately it is not listening, Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Congress spokesman Rashid Alvi lamented.
The six-point argument ferreted out by his Cabinet colleagues will also be the basis for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s defence in the Coalgate controversy.
In a bid to turn the tables on the BJP, the PM would highlight that Opposition-ruled Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand Governments had in 2005 opposed the Centre’s move to bring a legislation to ensure the auction process which in turn led to delay in the competitive allocation process. He will also point out that lawmaking is a lengthy process and consensus need to be created through consultation with various stakeholders.
Singh would also defend the allotments as those having been done in a transparent manner with no favours to any company. Singh would also object to CAG questioning the policy decision of the Government, according
to sources.
His defence would also include pointing out “inaccuracies” in the CAG report and the “misleading” presumptive loss of `1.85 lakh crore.
These are the grounds on which various Ministers are already defending the Government, but being directly targeted by the opposition the Prime Minister wants to clarify his position at the earliest. However, since the BJP is not ready to climb down from its demand for PM’s resignation, the Government has adopted a wait and watch policy while presenting its defence at various levels.
The Congress feels that with time the Opposition will become milder and cracks will develop in its unity. It felt, the indication of this could already be seen with the Janata Dal-United and Left parties saying that they want a debate on coal scam in Parliament giving much relief to the Government. Also the Government feels that by putting its defence through media, it could expose the BJP’s “double-speak” as some of its own Governments had opposed auction of coal blocks in the past.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal charged that the BJP is running away from the debate as it feels that by attacking PM it could get political mileage. Ambika Soni questioned the rationale behind the demand saying that if the PM resigns with whom the Opposition will discuss the issue.
Though all efforts are being made to persuade the Opposition, unfortunately it is not listening, Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Congress spokesman Rashid Alvi lamented.
