Consideration of the much-touted Food Security Bill in Parliament was scuttled today with opposition creating uproar over the issue of missing files related to the coal block allocation and demanding a statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.
The aggressive opposition paralysed the proceedings even as Coal Minister Shriprakash Jaiswal said no stone would be left unturned in tracing the documents to be provided to the CBI and he was ready to accept any punishment if he was found guilty.
The Food Bill, which provides for entitlement of highly-subsidised rations to two-third population of the country, was listed for debate in the Lok Sabha, coinciding with the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi today.
However, the discussion could not be taken up as the opposition created ruckus over the issue of files related to coal block allocation going missing.
Meanwhile, Congress members from Andhra Pradesh and Rayalseema region as also TDP members were agitating against formation of Telangana state.
Raising the issue, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj reminded the Government that the Prime Minister had taken “full responsibility” for the decisions of the Coal Ministry in a statement he made in the House on August 27 last year.
Amid cries of “shame-shame” and “pradhan mantri jawab do”, Swaraj said the files included applications for coal blocks and alleged that they have gone missing as some big shots of the Congress were involved.
She wanted the Speaker to direct the Prime Minister to make a statement. Singh had held the coal portfolio from 2006 to 2009 when the coal blocks were allocated.
Rajya Sabha also witnessed uproar after which Jaiswal made a statement saying that a committee has been constituted to go into the issue of missing files which has held two meetings.
“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.
He sought to mollify the opposition saying he was ready to face any punishment if found guilty of the allegations.
But, the opposition was not satisfied with the statement with Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley finding loopholes asking whether any FIR has been lodged by the Coal Ministry about missing files.
After repeated adjournments following uproar, both the Houses were adjourned for the day.
In the Rajya Sabha, BJP MPs started demanding a statement from the Prime Minister on the missing files as soon as the House met.
M Venkaiah Naidu (BJP) said the Prime Minister should come to the House and assure it that the files are safe. He said the issue related with files should be taken up first.
Jaiswal, who came to the House after the first adjournment, tried to make a statement, but BJP members insisted that it should come from none other than the Prime Minister. Jaiswal could not complete his statement.
Deputy Leader of Opposition Ravi Shankar Prasad termed the coal scam as the biggest one and alleged that some of the missing files are related with companies associated with members of the ruling party.
“We want it (statement) from the Prime Minister. Serious questions are being raised about the Minister,” he said.
The issues of Telangana and onion prices were also raised in the Lok Sabha which saw strong demands from AIADMK and DMK that India should boycott the proposed Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet to be held in Colombo in November as Sri Lanka was violating human rights of ethnic Tamils and targeting Indian fishermen.
TDP MPs were in the Well with their protest entering the third week. MPs from Congress opposing creation of Telangana held placards and shouted slogans from their benches. The TDP MPs wore shirts with slogans ‘Save Andhra Pradesh, Save Democracy’.