In yet another embarrassment to Manmohan Singh and the UPA Government, former Coal Secretary PC Parakh in his book, Crusader or Conspirator? – Coalgate and Other Truths , said the Prime Minister failed to control his Ministers, such as Shibu Soren (Coal Minister in 2006) and Dasari Narayana Rao (Minister of State, Coal Ministry).
The two had allegedly stymied Parakh’s proposal for competitive bidding for the coal blocks due to their “vested interests”.
He said the Prime Minister seemed “helpless” as some of his Ministers even “blackmailed” him.
Parakh’s book, released here on Monday by a former Supreme Court Judge GS Singhvi, echoes what the former media advisor to the Prime Minister, Sanjaya Baru, wrote in his controversial book
Published by Manas Publications, Parakh’s book offers insights into one of the “biggest recorded scams in the history of Independent India.”
Ministers’ resistanceIn the book, Parakh claims that the Prime Minister agreed with his proposal for competitive bidding, but could not tackle resistance from coal ministers in his administration. “... Their interest was primarily in faster allocation of coal blocks, transfers of officials in coal companies, creating more employment in Coal India, and grant of coal linkage although no coal was available for new linkage. On each of these issues, my views were diametrically opposite to those of the ministers,” the book says.
“Many ministers have used the ministry for their own or their party’s interests, instead of contributing to the sector. It was, therefore, a good opportunity to attempt reforms in the sector while the Prime Minister held the portfolio.”
Parakh said he himself came under pressure from people interested in acquiring coal blocks. He expressed anguish that while Manmohan Singh took a strong stance in the India-US nuclear deal, he failed to do so in the case of coal allocations.
Parakh writes: “Mr Singh’s office used to routinely interfere in the commercial decisions of the coal companies. In my first meeting with the CMDs, I had to clarify that they were not bound to comply with communications emanating directly from the minister’s office which they thought were not in the company’s interest. They were free to write to me for guidance and instructions.”
The book claims to contain “never before revealed information” about life in the Coal Ministry with the Prime Minister, his Cabinet colleagues such as Mamata Banerjee and Shibu Soren, and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister NT Rama Rao, Chandrababu Naidu to several MPs, including Congress’ Naveen Jindal.
‘Hollow defence’Parakh’s book is all praise for the CAG. “The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), Mr Vinod Rai, did an excellent job of bringing the huge coal allocation scandal into the public domain. The defence put up by several ministers, and the Prime Minister’s statement, in Parliament rings hollow and unconvincing.”
Parakh also lamented that he was “rewarded” with CBI raids for his unstinted service to the country.
Incidentally, Parakh, against whom the CBI has slapped a case for allegedly favouring Hindalco in a coal block allocation in Odisha, had earlier raised questions on why the investigating agency had failed to mention the Prime Minister (who was heading the Coal Ministry at that time) in the case.