The Central Bureau of Investigation today set off a political bomb when it told the Supreme Court that Law Minister Ashwini Kumar had “desired” to see a draft report on the investigation into the multi-crore coal scam. The Opposition parties immediately stepped up their attack against the Centre and pressure is mounting on the Minister to resign
In an affidavit, CBI Director Ranjit Sinha told the apex court that the Prime Minister’s Office and the Coal Ministry were also aware of the content of the draft report submitted to the court.
Neither House of Parliament transacted any business as Opposition members stormed into the wells demanding the Prime Minister’s resignation.
“Parliament must function after they (the Prime Minister and the Law Minister) resign,” said senior Bharatiya Janata Party MP Jaswant Singh, reiterating his party’s position.
The Opposition parties said the CBI’s fresh affidavit has reinforced their belief that the Government was trying to cover up the coal scam. “There is clear evidence of political interference,” Jaswant Singh said, adding that the Prime Minister, the Coal Minister and the Law Minister must explain to Parliament about the development. “It is a legal and moral issue,” he added. BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said the CBI affidavit proves the Prime Minister wanted to save himself from the CBI inquiry using the Law Ministry.
The Congress leadership swung into action with the Prime Minister convening a meeting of the United Progressive Alliance leaders on the issue.
Rules out resignation
The UPA leadership does not see any need for Ashwini Kumar or the Prime Minister to resign. “I have done no wrong. The truth will prevail,” Kumar said. The core group of the Congress also met to assess the situation.
What worries the Government is that it needs to take the Opposition into confidence to pass the Finance Bill and complete the discussions on demands for grants. The Government may request Speaker Meira Kumar to guillotine the discussions on Tuesday as the Finance Bill is likely to be taken up on May 6 or 7.
A senior BJP leader told Business Line that the Opposition will not block the Finance Bill. “We will have to cooperate. That is the convention. But the Government should listen to our demands,” he said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath has reached out to senior BJP leaders, including L. K. Advani, to end the impasse. He is learnt to have conveyed to the Opposition that the Government’s next step will be after the Supreme Court’s direction on the CBI affidavit, expected on Tuesday.
In his affidavit, the CBI Director said the draft status report, as desired by the Law Minister, was shared with him before its submission to the Supreme Court.
“It was also shared with one joint-secretary-level officers each of Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Coal, as desired by them,” the fresh affidavit added.