“I am not the custodian of files,” said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, breaking his silence for the first time on the controversies regarding the missing files pertaining to allocation of coal mines.

This response to a query from an Opposition member led to an uproar in the Rajya Sabha, with the BJP members asking: Then who is?

The Opposition has been demanding a reply from the Prime Minister on the missing files related to coal block allocations saying that the Supreme Court too has come down heavily on the Government on the issue.

The issue was raised by M. Venkaiah Naidu (BJP) in the Rajya Sabha during question hour.

Earlier, adopting a slightly aggressive posture, the Prime Minister accused the BJP of hurting investors’ sentiment by repeatedly disrupting Parliament. Attacking the BJP for continuously “opposing and criticising” the Government, he said, “If the record of the last nine years is looked at, the principal opposition has never reconciled to the fact that it was voted out of power nine years back.”

Amid repeated disruptions, the Prime Minister said Parliament is the supreme body of the country but if it is not allowed to function session after session, investors’ confidence will be affected.

Hurt over being targeted by the BJP, Singh asked the Chair, “Have you heard of any country where the Prime Minister is not allowed to introduce his council of ministers and have you heard of Parliament in any country where the Opposition shouts ‘Prime Minister chor hai ’ The type of things that have been said here.”

> shishir.sinha@thehindu.co.in

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