Congress Party has launched its counter against the BJP on Coalgate issue here on Monday. The Union Ministers and senior Congress leaders Salman Khursheed and Gulam Nabi Azad have alleged that the BJP, which deliberately obstructed the Parliament without allowing a discussion on the issue, was misguiding the people of the nation by making false statements.
Speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan here on Monday along with the PCC Chief Botcha Sathyanarayana and State Minister Danam Nagender and former minister Shabbir Ali, the two Union Ministers have said that they have decided to organize press meets in every State capital on the issue, to keep the facts before the people, so that they could decide for themselves.
Azad said that Parliament was the best forum to discuss any issue and to raise matters for discussion, but the BJP deliberately obstructed the House continuously without giving an opportunity to the Centre to clarify their doubts.
Khursheed said that there were 57 blocks with regard to Coalgate issue, out of which 20 were given to power sector. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has alleged that due to Government policy, the Private Sector will be benefited by Rs.1.86 lakh crores, but it never said that the Government was getting losses due to coal allocation. He said that coal blocks can’t be auctioned and coal blocks will be given only for power generation.
He said that if the coal blocks were given to the private persons, the Government will get 14 percent loyalty from them, along with 33 percent corporate tax. He said that the BJP ruled States’ Chief Ministers themselves opposed to the allocation of coal blocks based on high bid process. Following their contention, the Centre amended the process and brought new rule in 2008 and it was approved by the standing committee of Parliament, and it made legislation in the year 2010.
–Agencies